The Jumper
by ladymoonscar
Summary: Season One of my fanfiction. Alyssa is a Jumper, a powerful being, and visits the other Worlds to learn lessons and keep the peace. At her side, are her friends Kat and Lupe. As they go on their way, they will fall in love, fight for life, wish for death, meet friends, and find a terrible secret.
1. Authors Note

**A/N: so this is a new story. it's a fanfiction made of multiple movies/books/tv shows and such.**

_The Jumper_ **was originally a story I wrote in high school for me and my two girlfriends, Kat and Lupe. For various reasons, I changed my name to Alyssa in this. There are two 'seasons' with Kat, Lupe and myself. A third 'season' will be made. Maybe.**

**The next chapter is/will be about the various mannerisms of this fanfiction. The chapters or 'episodes' will be called what the movies/books/tv shows and such were called.**

**It should be noted that this will be 'M' for mature themes (swearing, sex, battle, ect).**

**Also, I do not advise skipping, as many 'episodes' are funny and a lot tie in with each other. If you don't like a certain movie/book/tv show then suck it up. A lot of my opinions are written into this, so we might have the same or opposing views.**

**First 'episode' won't be up until Halloween 2012. Because editing is a bitch.**


	2. Jumper Mannerisms

**Jumper Mannerisms**

**Jumpers-** powerful, evolved humans

**Worlds-** Records come to life where Jumpers Train and keep the peace

**Vortexes-** means of travel and passage for Jumpers (known as Jumping). eyes reflect vortex when Jumper is angry, aroused or conducting powerful magic

**Vortex signatures** means of tracking Jumpers from World to World. reflects personality

**The council-** a group of Jumpers in charge

**The High Council-** a group of Jumpers who rule over all

_**Autra esterni ono thelduin**_**-** 'may good fortune rule over you'- a Jumper blessing. mostly used in _Inheritance Cycle_

**Records-** movies, books, ect.

**Record Makers-** authors, directors, ect.

**Time Travel- **the event caused by two vortexes over lapping

**Rogue Jumpers-** evil Jumpers bent of destruction

* * *

**Jumper Laws**

**1)** No Jumper shall fall in love with a member of another World.

**2)** No Jumper shall sway any political matter of a World.

**3)** No member of another World should be put in unnecessary danger.


	3. Sleeping Beauty

The Jumper

* * *

_SLEEPING BEAUTY-_

_This will be my first entry concerning my Training as a Jumper. I had never heard about them before, even thou my guardian- Uncle Marcus- was one himself. As it is with all the Jumpers, when they reach the age of twelve they come into their powers. And so it happened to me._

_This is the beginning…_

* * *

My two best- and only- friends were Kat and Lupe. We'd known one another for years and we shared a mutual admiration for anything that ranged from martial arts to classic music.

We were sitting in my room above my uncle's study. Marcus wasn't there, he hardly ever was.

"Let's watch this one first," said Kat, pulling out a copy of _Sleeping Beauty_.

I waved for her to put it in as I finished up the candy bowls and pulling out cartons of ice cream.

"Are you sure your uncle won't mind?" Lupe asked, tossing her dark ringlets over her shoulder.

"Even if he would, I'd still do it," I said boldly. "Besides, the odds of him walking in today are the same as yesterday; _zip_!"

Lupe laughed and we brought the food in and sat down next to Kat as the opening credits opened up.

As Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip danced and the orchestra came to a wonderful ending, all three of us sighed like love struck school girls.

"Best damn princess in my book," Kat said.

"I wish I could have a guy who'd fight a dragon for me," Lupe said, standing up and pirouetting about.

"It would be so cool to meet Aurora," I said.

Almost unconsciously, I snapped my fingers, all my thoughts on _Sleeping Beauty_. I don't think I'll ever understand what happened next.

There was a loud rushing sound behind us and a vortex appeared, sending celestial beams of light on the walls and the floor. My eyes widened and Kat gasped.

Lupe tripped over her feet in astonishment and pitched forward…and disappeared into the vortex!

"Lupe!" Kat shrieked. She leapt forward and she was gone, too.

"Oh God!" I gasped. I looked around in a panic. "Okay, uh, uh, oh." I looked into the vortex and swallowed. "God save me and my friends!" With a shout, I ran into the vortex.

It was so weird! I felt as thou I was shrinking and my skin was itching so much! I was suddenly sailing thru a forest and I hit the grass and landed in a skid.

"Ouch," I croaked feebly. It sounded like a chitter. What in Hell?

"OH MY GOD!"

I looked around to see a rabbit flopping around and a robin lying on its' back, twittering hopelessly. "Okay, what's up? And where are Kat and Lupe?"

"Alyssa?"

I looked to see the robin and rabbit staring at me with wide eyes. "Hiyah. Sorry, I'm looking for my friends."

"It is us!" the bird chirruped in Lupe's voice.

My jaw dropped. "Guys?"

"What's happened?" Kat squeaked, holding one of her large feet. "I'm a god damn long-ear!"

"Look at these!" Lupe wailed, flapping her wings. "I have absolutely no desire to fly!"

A very horrible thought entered my mind and I slowly looked down at my hands. They were small and covered in brown fur. I felt my head, my eyes widening at the touch of my tufted ears.

"Oh no," I gasped, panicking. "Oh no, no, no, no!" I twisted around and saw a very bushy tail sticking out of my rear. "NO!"

I was a squirrel!

* * *

It took us a long time to get used to being animals. Lupe probably had the hardest time, being a bird and learning how to fly and land. Kat got a kick out of being a rabbit- once the shock wore off- and she kept hopping about and preening her long ears and fluffing up her tail.

I felt as thou it were someone's idea of a cruel joke that I ended up as a squirrel. I had a flippen' bushy tail for Christ's sake! The only upshot was that I could climb anything better than I had when I had hands and feet instead of paws.

"This is bizarre!" Lupe twittered as she landed on the tree root next to me.

"I can think of better words to use," I chittered at a very fast pace. "Lord, what have we done to deserve this?"

"I like this!" said Kat as she jumped high up into the air again and again. "I've always wondered what it would be like to be a rabbit!"

"Shh!" Lupe gasped. "Someone's coming!"

"Hide!" I squeaked and scrambled under the root with Kat and Lupe. It wasn't like me to hide from anybody, but I was only a few inches tall with a cute face and a bushy tail. I wasn't taking my chances!

A young girl stepped out from behind some bushes, her hair like golden sunshine and lips red as a rose.

"Holy shit," I drew out.

"Is that…" Kat gasped.

"It can't be!" Lupe hissed. "Could it?"

"Is someone there?" the girl called.

"It sounds like her," I said. "Okay, what are the chances this girl will believe that we're three fair maids that were cast under a spell by Maleficent?"

"With the suggestion that we leave out the villains' name, I say we do it," said Kat.

"I second the motion," said Lupe.

"The resolution has been moved and seconded," I proclaim. "Okay, look as cute and cuddly as you possibly can."

I bounded onto the tree root and stared at the girl with the sappiest face my squirrelly-ness could pull off.

"Oh, was that you?" the girl cooed. "I hope I didn't startle you."

"I hope I don't startle you," I said.

The girl blinked in astonishment. "You can talk?"

"Yep," I chittered. "I'm not really a squirrel, thou. I'm really a maiden who was cast under a spell by a very wicked lady."

"You poor dear," the girl sighed.

"Poor dears," Kat amended, jumping up next to me.

"It's a real shame," Lupe sighed, flapping up to the girls' eye level. "I miss having fingers and hair."

The girl patted Lupe's tiny head. "You poor, poor dears! Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Something to eat would be nice," Kat muttered as she sniffed the girls' basket of berries.

"Oh, of course! Help yourselves. I'm Rose."

"Pleasure to meet you," I chittered. "The name's Alyssa. This is Lupe and the one raiding your basket in Kat."

Rose patted my head as I dug into a plump berry. "It's such a shame what you've been thru."

"Yeah, it sucks," I said, glancing back at my tail. "Still it could've been worse; we could've been transformed into snakes or something equally as gross."

There was a hoot to our left. Rose gasped and giggled.

"This cannot be happening," Lupe twittered.

The other animals had stolen Prince Phillips' clothes.

"It's my dream prince," Rose said. She dipped into a curtsy. "Your Highness."

The birds holding the sleeves wrapped them around her.

"You know I'm really not supposed to speak to strangers," Rose giggled, "but we've met before."

She stepped out of the sleeves, singing, "_I know you, I've walked with you once upon a dream. I know you, that gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam. Yet I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem. But if I know you, I know what you'd do; you'd love at once, the way you did once upon a dream_."

"I love this place!" Kat whispered, munching on a carrot.

"Head's up," Lupe hissed, pointing with her wing to the bushes where a man and a horse were hiding.

"_But if I know you_," Rose continued, spinning away from the fake prince, "_I'd know what you'd do; you'd love me at once-_"

Phillip tugged the fake prince away and took Rose in his arms. "_The way you did once upon a dream_."

"Oh!" Rose gasped, pulling away. "Oh!"

"I'm sorry," Phillip said sincerely. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's not that," Rose said, backing up. "It's just that you're a-a-"

"A stranger?" Phillip supplied, holding her hand. "But don't you remember? We've met before."

"We have?" Rose asked.

"Of course," said Phillip. "You said so yourself; once upon a dream."

Rose walked away as the prince started to sing. "_I know you, I've walked with you once upon a dream_."

I climbed up on a branch and whispered in Rose's ear, "C'mon, sweetheart! Stay with him. He's cute."

"_I know you, that gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam_."

Rose smiled and the two started to dance.

"_And I know it's true_," Kat, Lupe and I sang, "_that visions are seldom all they seem. But if I know you, I'll know what you'll do; you'll love me at once a way you did once upon a dream_."

We sighed and leaned against each other. "They're so cute," I said, watch the couple look over to the castle in the distance.

"Very," Lupe agreed.

"I like it here," Kat said.

"Who are you?" Phillip asked Rose. "What's your name?"

"Hmm?" Rose lifted her head off his shoulder. "Oh, my name. Why it's…it's…"

"C'mon, darling," I whispered.

"Oh no, I can't!" Rose blurted.

I smacked my head with my paw. "Dang it!"

"Goodbye!" Rose called, running away from Phillip.

"When will I see you again?" Phillip asked.

"Oh, never. Never!"

"Never?"

"Well, maybe someday."

"When? Tomorrow?"

"Oh no! This evening!"

"Where?"

"At the cottage in the glen!"

"That's our ride leaving," Lupe twittered.

Kat and I ran to keep up with Rose while Lupe flew over head. I jumped up onto Rose's shoulder. "Are you crazy?! How can you let that guy go?!"

"I'll see him again," Rose said. "Tonight."

"I'll never understand Disney," I said to Kat and Lupe. "Not in a million years."

* * *

Rose was humming on the way to the cottage. I was resting on her shoulder, combing my bushy tail with my paws while Kat hopped below and Lupe flew above. I think they both were getting a kick out of being animals. I, on the other hand, was sick and tired of my craving for nuts and acorns.

Lupe flew down to my level and twittered in my ear, "Are you seeing lights?"

I looked up and saw pink and blue flashing above the tree line. "Make it blue, make it pink. There is a compromise; make it purple."

We walked inside with Rose calling, "Aunt Flora, Fauna, Merryweather."

The place was dark. "Where is everybody?"

Rose gasped as she saw the blue gown and birthday cake.

"Surprise!" three old women called out, coming out of hiding. "Happy Birthday!"

"Oh, you darlings!" Rose cooed. "This is the most happiest day of my life! Everything is so wonderful! Just wait till you meet him!"

"Him?!" Fauna gasped.

"You met some stranger?" Flora choked out.

"Oh, he's not a stranger," Rose sighed, "we've met before."

"You have?" Flora gasped.

"When?" Merryweather asked.

"Once upon a dream," Rose said dreamily, twirling around and humming again.

"She's in love!" Fauna realized.

"Oh no," Flora groaned.

"This is terrible," Merryweather fretted.

That brought Rose to a stop, jarring me off her shoulder and onto the table. "Why? After all, I am sixteen."

"Barely," Kat muttered.

""It isn't that, dear," Flora said. "You're already betrothed."

"Betrothed?" Rose repeated.

"Since the day you were born, to Prince Phillip, dear."

"But that's impossible," Rose smiled. "How can I marry a prince? I'd have to be…"

"A princess," Merryweather said. "You are, dear. Princess Aurora."

"And tonight we're taking you back to your father, King Stephan," Flora said simply.

Aurora's smile slipped and she became panicked. "But…but I can't. He's coming here tonight. I promised to meet him."

"I am sorry, my dear," Flora said, "but you must never see that young man again."

Aurora ran up crying to her room.

"And we thought she might be happy," Merryweather sighed.

"That could've gone a bit better," I said.

The three fairies gasped and drew their wands.

"No, no, no, no, no, wait!" I yelled, ducking behind the cake. "We're not demons or anything gross! We're really three young girls, a little younger than your princess, trapped in a spell cast by Maleficent."

Flora raised an eyebrow. "Or you're really Jumpers."

Kat, Lupe and I exchanged looks. "Uh…what?"

"Oh, they must've just started their Training," Fauna said, stowing her wand. "A bright vortex brought you here, yes?"

"She made it come," Kat said, angling her ears and me.

"I didn't know I could do that!" I objected. "It freaked us all out, pulled us here and gave me a freakin' bushy tail!"

"Okay," Lupe soothed, wrapping a wing around my shoulders, "find your happy place."

"Can you turn us back?" Kat pleaded "Into humans?"

"I'm afraid you can only do so when you return Home," Flora said.

"And how do we do that?" I asked.

They looked stumped. "We don't know, we're not Jumpers."

"You'll just have to wait until another Jumper shows up," Merryweather said.

"Great," Lupe twittered. "Um, I don't suppose we can have some cake? Water is fine, too."

Fauna took out her wand and three separate slices to cake floated out of the whole and landed in front of us and three bowls of water appeared next to the cakes.

* * *

"You look beautiful," I chittered to Aurora as she donned the gown.

She didn't say anything, but throw on a long cloak and turn up the hood.

I jumped onto her shoulder. "The first guy you meet always turns out to be a jerk. Maybe this guy wasn't really the guy for you. Who knows, maybe this prince fellow will be kind of cool."

Aurora kissed my head. "You're a sweet girl, Alyssa. I'm glad we are friends."

She walked down the stairs and we met the fairies, Kat and Lupe.

"I'm gonna stay here," Lupe whispered to me. "Keep a look out."

"What about Maleficent?" I hissed. "She's gonna be here tonight."

"I'll fly as fast as I can to get you guys if everything goes backside," Lupe promised.

"Be careful," I warned.

Lupe nodded and flew up into the rafters.

* * *

"Nice digs!" I said when we entered the castle thru a secret back entrance. "Maybe this is worth it, eh, princess?"

Aurora just looked miserable.

"Nice going," Kat grumbled to me.

I shrugged. "I'm trying, okay."

We walked into a room and Aurora sat in front of a vanity mirror.

Flora, Fauna and Merryweather flicked their wands and a crown appeared in midair. "A crown to wear in grace and beauty," Flora said, setting it atop Aurora's head. "As is thy right and royal duty."

Aurora eyed the crown and burst into tears slumping forward and lying her head in her arms.

"Let's give her a moment," Kat said, patting Aurora's leg.

"It's that boy she met," Merryweather said as we walked out and closed the door.

"Whatever are we going to do?" Fauna sighed.

"I don't see why she has to marry any old prince," Merryweather grumbled.

"That's not for us to decide," I pointed out.

"Maybe we should tell Stephan about the boy," Fauna suggested.

"Well, why don't we?" Kat said.

"Listen!" Flora gasped.

We all heard a whining musical sound from inside the room.

"Maleficent!"

"Aurora!"

Flora opened the door and we saw Aurora walk into the fireplace thru a secret tunnel.

"Oh, no you don't!" I squeaked in fury. I ran after Aurora and skidded on the sudden cobble ground. The passage closed behind me.

I looked up to see Aurora following a floating green orb. "Princess, snap out of it!" I grabbed the hem of her dress and tugged.

A bolt of green slammed into me from the orb. I was blasted off my paws and onto my side. "Ouch," I groaned. "So it's like that, huh?"

I got up and raced after the princess. Something woke up in me; a kind of protective fury that raced thru my bones like a fiery liquid. I felt power within me, something that I had never felt before.

"Aurora, come back! Wake up, girl!"

Another bolt hit me and I tumbled down the stairs. Hands caught me before I landed on the floor.

"Where is she?" Flora asked.

I pointed up the stairs. "That green ball's not very nice, FYI."

We ran up the stairs, calling for Aurora. "Don't touch anything!"

"Touch the spindle," an evil voice hissed. "Touch it, I say!"

We ran into a room and froze.

"You poor, simple fools," Maleficent cackled. "Thinking you could defeat me. Me! The mistress of all evil!"

"Talk about ego," Kat muttered.

"Here's your precious princess," Maleficent sneered. She disappeared and revealed Aurora, lying on the floor in a heap.

"Oh no!"

* * *

Fireworks were exploding outside, but they didn't spark any interest for me. I cuddled against Aurora's sleeping side, curling my tail around me. Kat was sitting beside me, her long ears drooping to either side of her head.

"Poor King Stephan and the queen," Fauna sobbed.

"They'll be heartbroken when they find out," Merryweather agreed.

Flora wiped her eyes. "They're not going to."

Kat and I raised our heads. "They're not? But…"

"We'll put them all to sleep," Flora decided, "until Aurora awakens."

Flora picked me up and Merryweather picked up Kat. The flicked their wands and we all shrunk to the size of miniature dolls.

Flora and I flew to the Throne Room and put the court to sleep.

King Stephan and King Hubert yawned.

"Speaking of Phillip," Hubert mumbled, "it would seem he's fallen in love with a…peasant girl."

"Peasant girl!" Flora gasped.

I hopped off her shoulder and tugged at Hubert's mustache. "The peasant girl; where is she? How did he meet her?"

"Just some peasant girl…" Hubert yawned.

"Where?" I insisted.

"Once upon…a dream…" Hubert sighed before dozing off.

"Aurora!" Flora fretted. "Prince Phillip! Oh, goodness gracious!"

I jumped on her shoulders and we flew up to Kat, Fauna and Merryweather. "Come on; we've got to get back to the cottage!"

* * *

_Lupe is sleeping with her head under a wing when a roar of green flame erupts inside the cottage, not burning anything, but leaving a group of horrible nasties and Maleficent._

"_Bugger it," she moans. "Alyssa hurry."_

"_Keep silent," Maleficent snaps. "I want to take this boy by surprise."_

_Lupe knows she has to warn Phillip. She takes off, aiming for the window, but a massive crow attacks her._

"_Kill it," Maleficent sniffs. "I have no use for song birds."_

_Lupe struggles away from the crow and flies out the window. Her wing is hurting and she falls out of the air and lands just outside the window._

_She can hear a horse approaching and the rider whistling. "Ah, bullocks," she groans and passes out._

* * *

"Are we gonna make it?" Kat shouts over to me.

She and I are our normal squirrel/rabbit size, with the fairies riding on our backs.

"I hope so," I chittered. "God knows Lupe won't be able to take on that crow."

We ran as fast as we could thru the forest until we reached the cottage. We burst in, the fairies growing to their true size, and looked around.

Flora bent down and picked up a red cap.

"Maleficent!" Kat and I gasped.

"She's got Prince Phillip!" Merryweather said.

"At the Forbidden Mountain," Flora realized.

Fauna gasped. "We can't go there!"

"I think ya'll have to."

Lupe fluttered up awkwardly onto the table. "I tried to warn the prince, but that stupid crow got to me first."

"Are you okay?" I asked, eyeing the way she held one of her wings.

"Just bruised," she replied. "I'll be fine."

"We need to hurry," Flora said. "Come, girls, quickly!"

* * *

The Forbidden Mountain was _creepy_!

"The bad guys always have a great pad," Kat muttered, her ears twitching. "Why is that?"

"Beats me," I muttered.

We ran across the drawbridge and stopped in the courtyard.

"I'll save the horse," Kat said, pointing to where Phillip's horse was shackled. "You lot save the prince."

"Be careful," I told her.

"You, too," she shot back.

Lupe and I mad our way with the fairies up to a hole in the wall and squeezed thru it.

"My guess is Phillip's in the dungeon," I said.

"Which is where?" Lupe asked.

We looked at the fairies, who shrugged.

"Someone's coming," Lupe whispered sharply.

We dove into hiding places just as Maleficent rounded a corner with her pet crow. "Come, my pet, let us cheer the prince up."

Lupe and I exchanged a look and we creeped after the evil broad.

Maleficent left Phillip's cell and walked with her crow to her chambers.

The fairies, Lupe and I squeezed into Phillip's cell.

"Don't say anything," I told him, sitting on his lap. "We're friends."

Lupe watched the door for any of the foul inhabitants of the Forbidden Mountain as the fairies unlocked Phillip's restraints.

Once free, Phillip jumped to his feet.

"Wait a moment," Flora warned, "the road to victory is wrought with dangerous enemies which you alone must face. So arm thyself with this shield of virtue and this mighty sword of truth!"

She conjured a shiny shield and sword and Phillip stared in awe.

"We must hurry," I pressed them, climbing onto Phillip's shoulder and Lupe above us.

We were out of the cell when the crow burst forward and screeched a warning and flew away.

"Oh bollocks," I moaned.

"This way!" Phillip said.

Unfortunately, the creatures pursued us, snarling and blubbering behind us, throwing spears and axes at our backs.

"Hellfire!" Lupe twittered, narrowly missing a shaft. "We need an exit!"

Phillip led us to an opening in a decrepit wall and we slid down rocks and dirt to where Kat was waiting with the horse, whom Phillip mounted and we galloped out of the evil castle.

I was suddenly aware that Lupe and Merryweather were no longer in front of me, but behind me. "What were you doing?"

"We took care of that blasted crow," Lupe said, her eyes dark with satisfaction.

"Good on ya!" I said.

Thunder rolled and lightning exploded beside us.

"It's Maleficent!" Fauna screamed.

The evil witch's laugh carried to us. "_Forest of thorns shall be his tomb, round from the sky and a clap of doom! Now go with a curse and serve me well. Round Stephan's castle cast my spell_!"

The castle in front of us darkened from clouds above and huge thorn bushes rose from the ground, blocking us.

Phillip urged his steed forward, hacking at the thorns. Kat, Lupe and I left him and made our own way thru the thorns, which scratched us and pulled at our fur and feathers.

Finally we were thru.

A burst of flames in front of us and startled Phillip's horse. It was Maleficent.

"Now shall you deal with me, O Prince," she cackled, "and all the powers of Hell!" She burst into flames again, but grew to an awesome height…and into a dragon.

"Ran away!" Kat screamed, darting back into the thorns, with Lupe, the fairies, the horse and me right behind her. Only Phillip remained, but he, too, soon ran back to the thorns after the dragon had breathed fire.

I coughed, my throat constricting.

Fire…

I didn't like fire.

I hated fire!

Kat and Lupe urged me forward, following Phillip up a craggy surface with the dragon behind us.

Phillip hacked at the dragon.

"O sword of truth fly swift and sure," Flora intoned, "that evil may die and good endure!"

Phillip threw the sword and it lodged in the dragon's heart. The dragon screamed and fell off the crag and to a thorny grave.

"Yeah!" Kat cheered, jumping up and down.

"Who's bad?" Lupe twittered in triumph.

I grinned. "We're bad! Er, Phillip is."

* * *

The courtyard was full of sleeping men and women and children. It was eerie. Phillip ran up to the tower and slowed as he saw Aurora sleeping on the bed.

Kat, Lupe and I watched with the fairies as the prince knelt beside his love and kissed her.

Aurora's eyes fluttered and opened. She smiled.

The fairies hugged each other and I used my bushy tail to wipe my eyes as Kat and Lupe sighed.

And outside the subjects and nobility awoke, none the wiser.

* * *

Kat, Lupe and I rushed to the balcony as Aurora and Phillip walked down the staircase. The fairies joined us.

As Aurora and Phillip began to dance, we all sighed. "Awwww!"

"I just love happy endings," Fauna sobbed.

"Yes," Flora agreed. "I do, too…_blue_!"

"Took her long enough," Kat sighed.

"I think we should bow out gracefully," I suggested.

"How do we get Home?" Lupe asked. "I like it here, but being a robin has its downsides."

"Well," I said slowly, "I was thinking about this place and snapped my fingers. So if I think about Home and snap my fingers..."

"What fingers?" Kat butt in.

"Bear with me," I said.

With every bit of my fiber, I thought about my room and snapped my fingers.

The celestial vortex appeared behind us. No one noticed.

"Let's get out of here," I said.

We all leapt inside…

* * *

…and fell on our backs, in my room, human.

"Thank you sweet Jesus!" Lupe crowed.

"We look like crap!" Kat exclaimed.

The thorn forest had certainly taken its toll. We all had scraps and bruises and even soot marks and thorns were tangled in our hair.

We walked downstairs and sat at the counter, pulling out the first aid kit and we started bandaging the nastiest of the cuts and combing out the thorns.

"Was that a wicked adventure, or what?" I said.

"It was amazing!" Kat agreed.

"I wonder if we'll ever do anything like that again," Lupe sighed.

The door opened and my uncle Marcus walked in with his business associates; Sally, Fred, Howard and Desmond.

"Alyssa," Marcus growled in his usual manner, "take your friends up… What the Hell happened to you three?"

I glanced at Kat and Lupe. "Fell down a rabbit hole?"

Desmond walked forward and cupped my chin. "Well, it's about time indeed!"

"Uh…what?" I asked.

"You just made your First Jump, didn't you?" Desmond said.

Marcus and the others started. "What?!"

"Is that a kind of puberty thing?" Kat asked.

"In a way," Desmond said.

"I'm only twelve," I protested. "How can I go thru a puberty thing?"

Desmond looked at Marcus. "You didn't tell her about what you do? What she's become?"

"It was quite possible that it wouldn't happen to her," Marcus explained. "Neither of her parents were Jumpers."

"But you're her uncle and guardian," Desmond said. "Honestly, Marcus, the things you do…"

"What the bloody Hell is going on?" I demanded. "What's a Jumper? And don't patronize me! I just spent nearly two days as a squirrel with a bushy tail, Kat and Lupe were a rabbit and a bird, we helped take down an evil fairy that turned into a dragon and ran thru a forest of thorns! I'm done being treated like a baby!"

"I also got beat up by a crow," Lupe added. "I showed him who's boss, but I got bruises the size of oranges."

"And said dragon almost had me for dinner," Kat put in.

"_Sleeping Beauty_?" Fred sneered. "Your First Jump was to _Sleeping Beauty_?"

"We'd just finished watching it," I shot back. "I was thinking about what a lucky duck Aurora was to have a prince, I snapped my fingers and this…vortex thing just appeared and sucked us into the movie."

"It was another World," Sally said, adjusting her glasses. "One of many."

Kat, Lupe and I looked at each other.

"You may want to sit down for this," Desmond said kindly.

* * *

**A/N: that's episode 1 done.**

**Why does Alyssa hate fire? How will her life change after this First Jump?**

**find out on the next Jumper**


	4. The Black Cauldron

The Jumper

* * *

_ THE BLACK CAULDRON-_

This life as a Jumper had its perks. I was still getting used to it, but I had fun- and went thru Hell, too- in the past few months. I'd leaned a lot from Jumping than anything I learned in school or from Uncle Marcus.

Some of the Worlds Marcus has sent me to were really stupid, kiddie Worlds- thankfully nothing like _Sesame Street_ or _Barney_. The one he had sent me to now was the _Black_ _Cauldron_- a completely pointless and rather pathetic story. No joke.

* * *

I landed on the dirt road, dressed in a dark blue leather outfit with black boots, a short, loose overskirt and black gloves and armed with a skinny rapier. I wasn't very happy with being sent back here. I'd been so fed up with last time that I'd decided to side with the bad guy. Yeah, maybe not such a great idea, but it was either the freaky king who sounded like John Hurt- so cool!- or a skinny boy who only cared about a she-pig. You can see my dilemma.

I skidded down a steep hill and landed at the entrance of the Horned King's castle. I looked around, but didn't see anybody. "Oh, no one to greet me," I said. "How rude. I suppose I'll just let myself in."

I strode into the castle. It was deserted. Uh oh, had I picked the wrong scary castle? Nope, I heard laughing and crashes down in the Dining Halls. I walked over there and peeked inside. Oh yeah, this was the right place; barbarians and Vikings ate food and drank wine and beer.

Squaring my shoulders, I braced myself for a dramatic entrance and I kicked open the doors. Everyone fell silent. Believe it or not, I had a reputation here. "So," I said chillingly. "I guess my invitation to this party was lost in the mail."

The two gwythaints hissed softly as I passed their roost. "Aw, hey, pretty babies. Did you miss me?" Okay, maybe a little freaky, but these two were the only cool things in this World. Not an exaggeration.

Then something moved up to stand somewhere around my calves. "What are _you_ doing back here?" It was the Creeper.

I glared down at him. "Jesus, hasn't anyone stuffed you yet?"

That broke the spell. The men laughed and went back to their drinks.

"Out of my way, Creeper," I said and kicked him away. I picked up a goblet of wine and sat down next to the throne on the dais.

Creeper scowled and crouched on one of the steps to the dais. "I thought you had died."

"Don't sound so sullen," I admonished. "So…what does this little get-together have to do with, eh?"

Creeper smiled evilly. "His Highness has achieved a great victory! We are-"

The wind suddenly picked up and an ominous howl rang around the Hall.

"Speaking of His Highness," I muttered.

There was a blinding flash of light. I covered my eyes and grimaced. "Whoa, brightness."

The light dimmed and faded away…and the Horned King stood in our midst.

"Welcome, sire," Creeper said delightedly. "We were just celebrating our success. Oh, I mean _your_ success!"

I stood up and bowed gallantly to the King. "Your Horned-ness. It's a pleasure to be in your presence once again."

The King cupped my chin in his leathery hand. "Lady Alyssa, it will be a joy to kill with you again." Wow, his voice sent chills up my spine. And not in the good way.

We sat down and Creeper barked, "Bring in the prisoner!" to the guards.

"Who is it this time?" I asked, leaning against the King's throne. "Some great knight or a damsel in deep distress?"

None of the above. Not even close.

"A pig?" I said. "Okay…are we having pork chops? What the plan, Highness?"

"This is the pig that creates visions," Creeper said. He sat a bowl of water in front of the pig. "Show His Majesty the location of the Black Cauldron!"

The pig- God help me- actually turned her nose up at Creeper. The King's hand, which had been stroking my upper arm, suddenly tightened. Creeper noticed. "Stubborn little thing, isn't she?" he chuckled weakly. "Show us the Black Cauldron, swine!" He took a pair of tongs and held a hot ember under the pigs' chin. "I warn you; His Majesty's patience is not to be tried!"

"No!" cried a voice from above.

We all looked up to see a skinny boy fall on one of the tables.

"You're kidding, right?" I muttered. "This kid is concerned for this pig? It's bacon, for crying out loud!"

The men tossed the boy forward and he landed next to the pig. "Oh, Hen Wen! You're safe."

Oh, my God, I was so close to ditching this World for _Terminator_.

"I presume, my boy," said the King, now stroking my neck, "you are the keeper of this oracular pig."

The boy gulped. "Yes sir."

"Then instruct her to show me the whereabouts of the Black Cauldron."

"Oh, sir, I can't. I promised."

Okay, this was pathetic. "May I say a few words?" I asked the King.

"I will permit it," he replied.

"Kid," I said, "I'll tell you right now that if you don't tell us what we want to know, your special pig is gonna be turned into special pork chops. Do I make myself clear?"

The boy scowled. "You wouldn't hurt her!"

Oh, wouldn't I? "Gents?"

The men took the pig over to an executioners' block.

"No!" the boy shouted. "I'll make her tell you."

"That's better," said the King.

The boy swirled the water in the bowl around, intoning "Hen Wen, to you I beseech knowledge beyond my reach."

The pig dipped her shout in the water and the image of a cauldron floated to surface.

"What is that supposed to be?" I asked.

"The Black Cauldron!" the King exclaimed, standing up. "So it does exist! Show me where. Show me…"

The boy looked up and gave a startled shout at how close the King was to him. He scrambled away, causing the bowl of water to fly into the King's red eyes.

"This can only end in tears," I muttered as the boy scooped up the pig and ran. "After them!" I drew my sword and chased after the boy and his pig.

It is very strange how such a rather small castle seemed rather large while running thru its' halls. I've never understood that. Anywho…

For about ten minutes we chased after the boy. Freaky and strange and stupid, yes, but this World was Recorded way before anything good actually came out- the exception being _Lord_ _of_ _the_ _Rings_ and _Star_ _Trek_- so everything was pretty much straight forward.

The boy slammed a door shut and I heard a bolt slide home just before I rammed into the wooden barricade. "Damn it!" I whacked at the door and heard the boy say on the other side, "The moat! It's our only chance! C'mon Hen! You have to swim!"

I finally succeeded in making a hole in the door wide enough for me to push thru just in time to see the boy shove his pig over the side and into the moat below. Creeper lunged from somewhere behind me and tackled the boy. "Gotcha, pig boy!"

The soldiers ripped apart the rest of the door and the Horned King walked into our midst.

"Look, sire!" the Creeper giggled. "I got the boy!"

"But not the pig," I whispered in the King's ear.

The King bent down and took Creeper by the throat. "You let the pig go, didn't you?"

"It wasn't my fault," Creeper choked.

The King dropped the wretched thing and snapped, "Throw the boy into the dungeon!"

* * *

I sat in one of the more elaborate chambers of the castle and stared at my reflection in the cracked mirror. I pulled my hair up and contemplated the look and wrinkled my nose. "So not the look for this outfit."

I felt his rattling breath on my skin before I actually saw him in the mirror. The Horned King bent his head over my neck and grasped my shoulders. "You have the beauty to please even the Fair Folk, lady."

Forcing my dinner to stay down, I smiled tightly. "And you have the cunning worthy of a god, sire."

"Yes," he hissed in my ear. "A god among mortal men…with a warrior goddess at my side." He ran a cold finger across my collarbone and I felt his breath move from my cheek closer to my…

There was a kafuffle of screams and shouts outside. Saved by the yell. I strode over to the door and yanked in open. "Oi! What's this?"

I saw the boy running down the hall with a girl. Where'd she come from? I glanced back at the King. "Er, just a second, Your Highness." I ran after the boy and girl.

Under any other circumstance, I'd have probably joined the two kids, but the circumstances being what they were, I was fine with the villains' side. But this World was so _freaking_ _pathetic_!

I ran after the boy and the girl with soldiers and Creeper on my heels. "Get the boy!" I ordered, drawing my sword. "Get that little scut!"

The boy and girl ran right to the closed draw-bridge. "Oh no!"

"We've got you now, Pig Boy!" Creeper cackled.

"Taren, do something!" the girl screamed. "Use the sword!"

The kid was gonna fight me? Good God, I could disarm him in an instant! But the boy raised the sword and hacked at the chains. The sword hummed with life and glowed with bright colors.

"Holy!" I gasped and came to a stop and Creeper crashed into the backs of my knees.

As the draw-bridge fell open, I heard someone shouting behind us, "Make way, I command you! Stand aside!" An old man with a harp ran past me and joined the boy and girl in their escape. "Why didn't you tell me you had a magic sword?!"

And just as I got my wits back and began to run after them, the portcullis dropped down in front of me. I turned to Creeper. "How much you wanna bet the King will be severely pissed off?"

* * *

"I'll say it wasn't my fault," Creeper stuttered as he and I climbed the stairs to the Horned King's chambers. "That's it! I always get blamed for these things!"

"You know he'll kill you," I pointed out.

"Well, then, I'll just straighten him out!" Creeper said indignantly. "I'm not going to be kicked around for this!"

We reached the King's chambers. "Well, you obviously don't need my help," I said sweetly and hammered on the door. "Hey, Highness? Creeper's got something to say to you!"

Creeper shuddered. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

I shrugged. "Nah, he likes me too much. You, however, are expendable." And I walked inside.

"You bring news of the pig?" the King asked from his seat in front of the fireplace.

"Not exactly," I said. I shoved Creeper forward with my boot. "Go on, buddy. Tell him."

Creeper gulped. "It's the pig keeper. He's…escaped."

The King hissed softly and beckoned Creeper forward.

"Uh, allow me, sire," I said and throttled Creeper. "How's that?"

"Good," the King breathed. "He'll find his pig. Send the gwythaints to follow that boy!"

I dropped Creeper, who scuttled out of the room, and crossed over to the King and sat down on the floor next to his legs. "Ya know, sire…I could probably catch up to the boy faster than the gwythaints. Mayhap I could even convince him of my innocence."

The King chuckled and petted my hair. "You have a cunning mind, Alyssa. Yes, you will find the boy and when the time comes, lead me to the Black Cauldron."

I stood up and bowed. "I'll take my leave, Majesty."

* * *

I knelt down on the dusty road and examined the tracks. Yep, they definatly went this way. How did I know? I could hear them talking by a stream. Jeez, these guys needed to understand the concept of an escape!

"Fflewddur is right, you know," said the girl. "We are going to have to work together. And we'll find your pig. I'm sure it is important."

"Thank you for getting me out of the dungeon," said the boy.

"Oh, but we couldn't have done it without you," the girl said.

"Well, at least we're all safe," said the boy.

That was when the old man screamed somewhere a ways off. Safe, my ass.

I followed them carefully and quietly as they ran to find their friend being attacked by…

"Gurgi!"

A freaky looking dog…thing looked up from the old man and gasped, "Master? Uh, old man fell down."

The old man scrambled behind the boy. "Who is your pungent friend?"

"He's no friend of mine," the boy shot back. "He's just a thief and a coward!"

"I think he's adorable!" the girl cooed.

I dropped down from the tree I'd been hiding in. "You need to get out more, sweetheart."

The boy drew his sword and pointed it at me. "What are you doing here?"

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Kid, put your sword away before you decapitate yourself."

"Like you know anything about swords!" the boy shot back.

I had to laugh. "I may be only slightly younger than you, boy, but I can tell you right now that I've seen more battle than you."

"Why are you here?" the old man asked.

"I came to join your little group of escapees," I drawled. "Not exactly my kind of thing, but it's either you or His Horned-ness. I'm sure you can appreciate my decision."

"Why should we trust you?" the boy growled, still pointing his sword.

I sighed. "Your pig ran that-a-way not but a few hours ago. I know that because I'm a good tracker. My name is Alyssa and I enjoy anything that goes 'boom' and I have a huge sweet tooth. Any more questions or can I just get your names?"

"I'm Princess Eilonwy," said the girl straight off. "This is Taren and Fflewddur Fflam."

"And this is Gurgi!" exclaimed the rag doll.

"Great, everyone acquainted? Okay, I think we should be going now."

"Where?"

I actually slapped my palm to my face. "I wasn't kidding about your pig, dude. See? Right there is the tracks."

Eilonwy took me by the hand. "Well, come on! Let's go!"

You'd think I hadn't just been trying to kill her a few hours ago. I jerked my hand out of her grip. "Two things, girlfriend; one, don't ever touch me. Second; we're not friends, allies or best buds. Got it? I have my own agenda for finding this pig. It can help me find my long lost family."

Yes, that was bull shit, but I needed something to get them on my side.

"You'd better not be lying," Taren warned.

"I'm not lying," I said convincingly. "Not this time, at least."

And, like rats to the Pied Piper, they followed me.

* * *

It was night when we came to the small pool. The pig tracks led to it and across stepping stones.

"Told ya," I said smugly, pointing down at the tracks.

"Let's go, Master!" Gurgi said. He hopped across the first two stones then stopped on the third. The other stones sank below the water and the third stone started to spin and the water glowed.

"Great Zeus!" I gasped.

"Gurgi!" Taren cried. He reached out to grab the thing, but was caught in the whirlpool.

"Give me your hand!" Eilonwy called, grabbing for Taren. Taren caught her hand and pulled her in. Eilonwy's other hand caught Fflewddur's wrist.

"We're doomed!" Fflewddur gasped as he grabbed my vest and pulled me along with them.

* * *

I woke up with a splitting headache. "Ah, what the bloody fuck was that?!" I sat up and gasped. "Fairies? Why are there fairies floating around us?"

"They're the Fair Folk," Taren said.

"No," I said, "the Elves are the Fair Folk. Fairies are like annoying bugs that sprinkle dust on you. Least ways, they do in _normal_ Worlds."

"What are you mumbling about?" Eilonwy asked pleasantly.

I closed my eyes, praying for patience. "Not a thing, love. Just wish I had some arsenic with me."

I flinched away from the fairies as they flew closer to me. There was a squeal and Hen Wen pelted into Taren's arms.

"Is the fighting and burning still going on?" a fairy asked me.

"Yeah, it is," I replied, sneering at the pig and her keeper. "The Horned King is causing it."

"Will no one stand up to him?" the fairy exclaimed.

I snorted. "Doubt it. Have you seen him?" An idea struck me. "However…the Black Cauldron might destroy him. Unless he finds it first, in which case we're all dead."

Well…they were dead. I could vortex straight out.

"Oh, he won't ever find the cauldron," the fairy said smugly.

"Eh?" I said. "How do you figure that?"

"It's quite hidden…in Morva."

"Morva?" I repeated, utterly clueless.

"The home of the witches."

Hmm. Witches, eh? That sounded promising.

* * *

"I swear we've been this way before," I said, inspecting a familiar dead tree. Actually, Morva was crowded with dead things.

"I think we should go this way," Taren said, pointing.

"How do you know?" I shot back.

"Gurgi will follow Master!"

"Gurgi is begging for a kick in the rear," I grumbled under my breath. "Fine, we'll go that way."

Fflewddur walked behind me, his hands occasionally gripping the back of my vest whenever a crow screeched.

I glanced at him in irritation. "Would you relax? It's not like a giant is gonna jump out."

"How do you know?" he whimpered. "What if there's some horrible man-eating giant just waiting to pick us off one by one?"

"Then you'll be the first," I teased. "Giants always go for the skinny ones first. Especially if they're loud and have harps around their necks." I wiggled my fingers at him and he cringed.

"Stop frightening him!" Taren snapped, grabbing my shoulder.

I turned and smiled at him. "Lighten up, pig boy. It's not as if giants really exist anymore."

I pushed past him with a sneer. God, I thought Disney was supposed to be fun? What happened to the epic-ness of it all?

"You shouldn't wander too far!" Eilonwy called after me.

I rolled my eyes and the ground disappeared from under my feet. I let out a sharp yell as I fell thru the air. I landed hard on my stomach and the wind was smacked out of my lungs.

"Alyssa!"

"Are you alright?"

With a groan, I looked up. "I'm fine. Guess what I found?"

Gurgi skidded down to my side and bounced on my lap. "Is the pretty lady hurt?"

"Get off, you mangy creep!" I snapped, shoving him away. I stood up and brushed myself off. "Welcome to Morva, everyone."

Morva actually turned out to be a tiny little shack that oozed evil.

"Finally something worth this trip," I said with a grin. I pranced over to the door and reached for the handle.

"What are you doing?" Eilonwy gasped. "Shouldn't you knock?"

I gritted my teeth. "Lass, we've come a long way. I just took a tumble. The rag doll is drooling over my boots. I'd like to get this over with without the pleasantries. Okay?"

I yanked open the door and dozens of frogs leapt out at me. Eilonwy screamed and I jumped back in disgust.

"They're only frogs," Taren smirked.

"Those were people," I snapped. "They were turned _into_ frogs. C'mon, let's find the cauldron and get out of here before the owner comes back and finds out that their lunch is gone."

We walked inside, peering into every corner and drawer.

After a while, Taren sighed, "I can't find any cauldrons."

"Well, this was a waste of time," I said. "Alright, let's go. Maybe we got the wrong Morva."

There was a screech from somewhere. "_Thieves! Thieves_!"

"_Someone has stolen all of our toads_!"

"Uh oh," I muttered as we moved closer together, Gurgi wrapping himself around my leg.

There was a blinding flash of light and I swear I wished it was the Horned King for a second. But it wasn't. It was three witches.

Three very ugly witches.

"You horrible nasty people!" the first growled. "You shall all be turned into frogs and eaten! You have brought upon yourselves the wrath of Orddu, Orwen and Orgoch!"

"So sorry," I said politely. "We have the wrong house. We'll just leave, quiet and peaceful like."

"Do excuse us, ladies," Fflewddur stammered.

The largest of the witches, Orwen, tugged him close to her. "Aren't you the handsome one?"

Fflewddur blanched away from her. "Me?"

"Don't you find me…irresistible?" she simpered.

"Um, well, well, yes, but, but I…" Fflewddur looked to me helplessly.

I shrugged. "Sorry, dude. You're on your own. I don't mess with witches."

Taren leapt forward with his sword. "Enough! We've come for the Black Cauldron!"

Fflewddur ran from Orwen and hid behind me. Gurgi clutched at my lower leg and shivered against me. At least…I hoped he was shivering.

The witches were stunned.

"No one's asked for the cauldron over two thousand years," Orddu replied. "Might I interest you in something else; a kettle, a frying pan, a pot, a colander…anything you like?"

As she named the various cooking utensils, they flew out of cupboards and swung around our heads.

I ducked violently, narrowly avoiding being brained by a dirty frying pan. Jeez, those things were real weapons.

Taren's sword suddenly glowed and started slicing thru the pots and pans like they were made from tissue paper.

"Thank God for magic," I muttered. "Damnit, Gurgi! Get off my leg!"

The witches were muttering to each other.

"Here's the thing, duckling," Orddu said silkily. "We'll trade you Cauldron for something."

I pushed Fflewddur forward. "Here ya go! One free husband."

Fflewddur shot me a startled look. "What?!"

"Take one for the team, harpist," I hissed. "You know what; I'll even throw in the ragdoll.

Orddu shook her head. "We don't want a broken down hermit or a pesky dog."

"Gurgi will give up his munchings and crunchings," Gurgi said heavily, holding out an apple core.

"Oh yeah, they'll surely want that," I muttered sarcastically.

Orgoch snatched the core from Gurgi and gobbled it up whole.

"But I've been wrong before," I said, rather surprised. "Well, what do you want?"

"The sword," Orddu stated with a greedy look in her yellow eyes.

Taren looked down at his blade. "But…"

"Taren," I said softly, touching his shoulder. "We need the Cauldron. We all have to give up something now and again. Give them the sword."

Taren sighed and held it out to Orddu. "Here is my sword. I trade it for the Black Cauldron."

"Agreed!" Orddu exclaimed. She and her sisters vanished along with the sword.

The house started to shake.

"Oh bullocks," I moaned. "Duck and cover!"

We fell to the ground and covered our heads as the house was ripped apart and rent up into the air and then into nothingness.

I rolled onto my back and stared around. "Well…that turned out like shit."

"They didn't leave us the Cauldron," Eilonwy frowned.

"Let me define 'witches'," I said exasperatedly.

Before I could, the earth shook and cracked. Gurgi yelped and jumped into my arms like freaking Scooby-Doo.

Something shot up out of the ground, cause dirt to fly into our eyes.

It was the Black Cauldron.

I smiled to myself and dumped Gurgi onto the ground. This had been just too easy.

"So I assume you all know how this goes, right?" I asked, stroking the opening of the Cauldron. "A brave and selfless soul jumps into the Cauldron and all its evil magic disappears."

"Gurgi will climb into the evil Cauldron," the ragdoll said.

"And that someone dies," I finished.

Gurgi jumped back with a squeak.

"Those witches cheated us!" Eilonwy gasped. "They said we could have the Cauldron."

"Of course they did," I said. "It's not their fault we can't do anything with it."

"What are we going to do now?" Taren sighed, sitting down on a log and holding his face in his hands. "Without my sword, I'm nothing."

I rolled my eyes and muttered, "God, I got stuck with a pouter."

There was a screech from above.

We all looked up to see the gwythaints circling high overhead.

"Goodbye," Gurgi said and ran away.

"Finally!" I burst out, drawing my sword and pointing it at Taren. "Alright, boy, say your prayers!"

"What are you doing?" Taren gasped, jumping to his feet.

The Horned King's army ran out of the dead trees and surrounded them.

"I'm finishing my job," I said smugly. "You didn't think I'd really be on your side, did you? Take them away, boys!"

* * *

I ran a finger along the horizontal circlet I wore. Yep, it was gold. So were my earrings and necklaces. I wore a dark strapless dress. The bodice was a blackish purple while the skirt was a dark maroon that matched my slippers. I also had on a dark red fur cape.

I looked bad. In a good way.

"I'm so happy to be back," I sighed happily.

Creeper walked in, grinning broadly. "They're ready!"

I clapped my hands giddily. "This is so exciting! Come on, Creeper; let's go gloat to the prisoners."

We walked down- okay, we sprinted- down to the dungeons where the Black Cauldron sat, ready for evil doings. Taren, Eilonwy and Fflewddur were hanging by their wrists, waiting for execution.

"Don't look so glum," I said. "This is probably the biggest thing you've ever done, pig boy. You get to be fed to zombies."

"You betrayed us!" Eilonwy shouted.

"I did not!" I said in a shocked voice. "You have to be loyal to something before you betray it. I was never loyal to you. I lied. It's as simple as that." I spread out my hands and caressed the sides of the Cauldron. "I have a secret to tell you; this World actually stinks. I don't like anything here, aside from those dragons and his Horned-ness. Honestly, it's sad for what passes for a good movie these days."

Creeper giggled and swung from one of the Cauldrons' handles. "Didn't you three wish to destroy the Cauldron? Well, don't be shy; climb in! It'll only cost you your life!"

We laughed then cut off as the Horned King walked in.

I curtsied low. "Highness, just as I said, I delivered you to the Black Cauldron."

"Well done, Alyssa," he hissed, patting my head. "You have proven your loyalty yet again."

"I aim only to please you, my King," I said, crossing my fingers under the folds of my dress.

"And what a fine thing we have here," the King said, looking at the prisoners. "A pig keeper, a scullery maid and a broken down old minstrel. Perhaps it is time for you to see what Fate has in store for you."

He lifted a sheet off from a nearby cart and picked up a skeleton. "I call upon my army of the dead; the Cauldron-born! Arise my messengers of death! Our time has arrived!"

He stuffed the skeleton into the Cauldron and raised his hands into the air. Wind howled and light flashed past us all. Creeper jumped onto my back and watched from my shoulder as a green fog leaked from the Cauldron and around the masses of other skeletons in the room.

The skeletons jerked and came to life. Okay, now they were zombies.

"Go forth, my death-less warriors!" the King commanded. "Destroy all in your path!"

"Come on!" I said happily, pulling on his hand like a giddy child. "Let's get a better look on the balcony! Tootles, little shrimps."

Creeper bounced up and down on the balcony rail as we looked down at the zombie army. "We did it, sire! We did it! Uh, I mean, you did it!" He kissed the hand that was about to throttle him.

"Only moments from victory," the King hissed.

I clasped my hands under my chin. "This is wonderful! A whole World just moments away total… Why are they falling down?"

The zombies were slowly collapsing, some falling off the drawbridge and into the moat.

"They're dying," Creeper gasped.

"Impossible," the King snapped. "This hadn't better be your fault," he growled to the Creeper.

"Maybe it needs another body," Creeper squeaked.

"Yes," the King agreed. "Yours."

He grabbed Creeper by the throat and walked back inside and down the stairs to the dungeon.

"No, sire!" Creeper begged. "Please don't kill me!"

"Get up!" the King shouted at the skeletons. "Come alive!"

"They might just be resting," I suggested weakly. I kicked at one of them. "Do something! My reputation is at stake!"

"My life is at stake!" the Creeper yowled.

I looked into the dungeon and pointed. "Look, sire! It's the pig boy!"

Taren was running at the Cauldron, a look of determination on his face. Eilonwy and Fflewddur were nowhere to be seen.

The King dropped Creeper and stalked toward Taren. "You have interfered for the last time, boy!"

"Go for his throat, sire!" Creeper called from atop my head.

Wind suddenly picked up and we were all being pulled towards the Cauldron. Taren grabbed hold of a chain to steady himself.

I clawed my way behind a pillar where I was safe. Creeper clutched at my arm.

The King howled as he was sucked closer to the Cauldron. "No! You'll not have me!"

Creeper and I watched as a face was made visible by an eerie light on the Cauldron. "Oh, this can only end in tears," I moaned.

"Curse you!" the King screamed. He placed his hands on the rim of the Cauldron to brace himself and the Horned King vanished with an unearthly howl.

Then the castle started coming down.

I shoved Creeper away. "Time for this Jumper to get out of here!"

"Alyssa!"

I turned to see Taren coming at me with a rock. I smiled and snapped my fingers and my vortex appeared. "So long, pig boy!"

I Jumped…

* * *

…and landed, safe and sound, in my room.

I got up, brushed myself off and sighed. "So much for that World."

* * *

**A/N: just so we're clear, Jumpers don't have a moral compass. they do what they want, when they want.**


	5. Twilight

**A/N: this one was a bit half-assed. sry. but next episode is character development**

* * *

The Jumper

_ TWILIGHT-_

I was booting up my laptop in the cafeteria when the lunch bell rang. "Three, two, one," I muttered under my breath.

"Hello Alyssa," chorused the Cullen kids as they flitted to my side. Yeah, never gets old.

"Wotcher," I replied, opening up my Journals. "How're classes?"

They each gave me an update for each of their morning classes as the other students came in for lunch.

I glanced up briefly and felt a tiny sting of shock. "And so it begins," I sighed.

"What?" asked Alice, toying with her apple.

I shook my head. "New girl is staring at us."

All of the Cullen's turned to see Bella Swan quickly look away.

"Keep your distance," I warned playfully. "She looks like trouble."

If Kat and Lupe had been here, they would've hit me; they were hard _Twilight_ fans.

"Why would we do that?" asked Edward.

I shrugged. "It's always the new ones you have to watch out for. Can you hear what they're saying?"

Emmett tilted his head to the side. "That Stanley girl is telling her that Alice is weird and Jasper always looks as if he's in pain. And now she is groaning that Edward turned her down for a date."

I smiled. "Well, she is a vegetarian." That made them all laugh, drawing a lot of gazes.

Then Emmett sobered. "Now she's talking about you, Alyssa."

I looked up and stared at Bella and Jessica, who both looked away. "Interesting."

"She doesn't go here, does she?" said Alice, repeating what Bella was saying.

"No," said Rosalie for Jessica. "Alyssa's kind of a family friend. She's only here for lunch and she always sits with them."

"How did she get those scars?"

I stopped typing and clenched my fists.

"I don't know. She looks like she's been through the war, though. I heard she got into a lot of fights wherever she's from and got exiled or something."

I rolled my eyes and dung in my purse for my cigarettes. I didn't like that I had resorted to nicotine, but a girl had to relax somehow. Jasper put a hand on mine. "Easy, Alyssa. You know what that stuff can do. You won't be allowed on campus anymore."

I felt his power working on me and I shut my purse. "Whatever."

* * *

I was sitting out in the parking lot a few minutes before school would end, smoking a cigarette when Bella passed by me. "Hey! You're that Swan kid, right?"

Bella looked at me adversely. "Yeah, I am."

I nodded. "Yeah, thought so. Not to sound rude or anything, but your dad sure can babble about you."

Bella blushed. "You know Char- my dad?"

I took a draft of smoke and let it out. "Yep. Had to go through him to get a lighter, since mine dried up."

Bella looked confused and I amended, "I only smoke when I'm agitated. I got started when I was in Chicago, thanks to a few jailbirds. I haven't really smoked since, but, jeez, Forks can get on your nerves."

"Why don't you leave?" she asked. She sounded curious, not mean.

I shrugged. "My uncle knows Dr Cullen from awhile back. I'm staying up here while he's...well, he doesn't really care all that much about me."

I blew smoke in the air. "But I do sneak out to the cities now and again."

Bella's brow knitted. "Why don't you enroll in school?"

I heard her real question and let out a harsh chuckle. "You mean, did I really get into fights back Home? Nah, I was the perfect student; straight A's and all. But then, he's a traveler, goes all over the place, and I had to leave with him."

I stuck the cigarette between my lips and traced one of the scars across my cheeks. "I tell you, traveling can really bring out the best and worst in you."

Then the Cullens came out and Edward shot a menacing look at Bella, who flinched. I raised an eyebrow at Edward, who called, "Let's go, Alyssa!"

I put out the cigarette and tossed it into a bin. "Nice talking to you, Bella. And judging from Edward's face, I think you should stay away from him. Just some friendly advice." I patted her shoulder and slid into the Volvo.

"Jesus, Edward," I said. "Did she stab you or something?"

Edward's glare almost made me pee myself.

* * *

It had been about two months since that first day. Edward had come clean to Bella and he was going to bring her to his house to _officially_ meet his family.

I sat at the piano, playing the acoustic version of _Everytime We Touch_, waiting for Edward and Bella to arrive. I was starting _All That Jazz_ when Esme, Carlisle, Rosalie and Emmett came in. "They're here!"

I rolled my eyes. "You'd think he was the first in the World to get a girlfriend. _And all. That. Jazz_!"

The door opened and I shut the piano. Edward escorted Bella in, her eyes wide. It was disgusting, to be perfectly honest. Bella's eyes brightened when she saw me.

"Hey, Bella," I said casually. "How's it hanging?"

"Hi, Alyssa," she said. "How are you?"

I shrugged in response. "I actually have a few pressing matters to deal with, so I'll leave you to the family." I picked up my purse and left, on my way out making kissing noises at the couple. Edward tossed me his keys with a frank expression.

I picked my way down to the garage and took the Volvo.

* * *

I met Marcus, my dear, old uncle, at Port Angeles. "Hi," I said, locking the Volvo.

Marcus frowned at me in welcome.

I sighed. "Okay. What'd I do know?"

"You've been smoking," growled Marcus. Oops.

I blanched. "Well...yeah, sort of. I mean not that much. I had, like, two the whole damn year."

Marcus scowled. "Watch your mouth! If you want to be acquainted on both sides, then you must control your behavior."

I raised my eyebrows. "Both sides? Meaning, Cullen and Volturi?"

Marcus nodded and I brightened. "I'm gonna meet the Volturi!"

I could've sworn his face almost relaxed into a smirk. "Yes. Go back and pack your things, we leave tonight."

I got back into the car and almost sped back to Forks. Then my cell rang. "Hello? Edward? What's-? Say what? Ugh, your joking! Wait, was the female red-headed? Shit. Yeah, James, Victoria and Laurent. I've met them once. Wishful thinking, I don't like them and they don't like me. Actually, I just met him and he says we going to Italy. Like, right now. That is just ridicules! Okay, I don't like Marcus a whole lot, but he would never do that to you guys! Because it's insane! 'Kay, I'll be there soon. Right. Bye."

Fuck! I knew I should've stayed and window shopped. James' coven had found Bella and was going to kill her. Personally, I hate the strawberry and floral smell myself.

* * *

I got back to the house and saw Bella and Edward pulling up in the truck. Edward nodded to me as we climbed up the porch steps and entered the house. I turned into the living room and collided with Laurent. His red eyes burned with surprise. "Alyssa!"

"Laurent," I growled, taking a step back from him. Edward hissed, but Carlisle appeared and placed a hand on his arm. "He came to warn us about James."

"I know you might not want my help," the vampire said. "But he's got unparallel senses, absolutely lethal."

"I could've told them that," I sulked.

Laurent narrowed his eyes at me. "I will leave you now. It was...interesting to see you again, Alyssa."

I grunted and he pushed passed me and was gone. "Still, I'd keep an eye on him. Two, if you could spare them."

Carlisle frowned. "He came to warn us, Alyssa."

I shrugged as I walked up to the guest room. "Hey, I call them as I see them."

* * *

I tugged my suitcases from under the bed and packed them hurriedly. The door opened and Alice came in. "Do you need help?"

I pointed at the second suitcase. "You can fill that up."

She started putting in clothes she had bought for me over the last few months in the suitcase, then started on my toiletries bag. "Carlisle said you should give his regards to the Volturi. Edward told us."

I snorted as I folded a black skirt. "Of course. Well, I suppose I'm a mouth piece for those two. Or do you want to start corresponding?"

Alice smiled. "I'm fine. Well, that's you all packed."

I straightened and hugged her. "Thanks for everything, Alice. You're the best."

Alice patted my back. "Hurry back."

I broke away and gave her a cocky smile. "Duh! Give James a wallop for me, eh?"

We laughed and she helped me pack my things in Esme's Porsche.

"Try to not damage it," said Esme.

I smiled and hugged her. "Keep Bella safe. I'll call as soon as I can!"

I turned to Bella and punched her arm softly. "Hey, it's gonna be cool. You got the best vampires I've ever known to look after you. And if something happens, Edward'll give them a beating they'll never forget."

Bella smiled. "See you around?"

I held out my hand and she took it. "Totally."

I got into the Porsche and drove away. To elevate my worry, I popped in the Chicago CD and sang along. I was singing the _Cell Block Tango_ for the second time when I arrived at the airport.

Marcus was already there, his usual scowl gone, replaced by worry.

My muscles hardened. Shit, what had happened? Was the trip cancelled? Crap!

I pulled up and got out of the car. "What's wrong?"

Marcus scowled. "Where've you been?"

I was puzzled. "Uh, packing like you told me to. I had to say goodbye, ya know!"

Marcus popped the trunk and took out one of the suitcases. "Come on! Our plane's ready to leave!"

I rolled my eyes, got the rest of my luggage, and followed him into the airport, tucking the car keys under the gas pipe where Esme would find them.

On the plane, I sat near the rear of the plane while Marcus sat in the middle. I settled down in my seat and fell promptly asleep.


	6. The Volturi

The Jumper

_THE VOLTURI-_

I yawned widely as Marcus and I walked off the airplane and into the city of Rome. "Why couldn't we have waited until morning to do this?"

Marcus sighed. "Because I don't want you to get involved with James. Leave that to the vampires."

I frowned. "It's not like I can't take care of myself."

Marcus chuckled. "Oh yes, I forgot; the age of total responsibility." He hoisted his bag higher onto his shoulder and walked out to the car garage.

"Like you know everything," I muttered darkly, following him.

We walked to the main garage area, where a sleek stretch limo was waiting for us.

"Sweet stylish ride," I squeaked. "God, I love vampires."

Marcus rolled his eyes and tapped on the darkly tinted window. "Anybody home?"

The window rolled down and a pale face stuck out of the car. "Why Marcus, you look rather old, don't you?"

I let out a shout of laughter. "Thank you God for bloodsuckers!"

Marcus shot me a cold look. "Get in, Alyssa." He opened the door for me.

"After you," I said. "Those old legs of yours might not hold you much longer."

"Just get in the car," Marcus growled in exasperation.

With a chuckle, I slid into the backseat of the limo…and I was surrounded by pale, red eyed vampires. Marcus got in next to me and shut the door. "Aro, my friend, you've just made my life more miserable."

The pale vampire laughed. "From the look on her face, your beautiful companion needed a few laughs."

"About time somebody showed me any respect," I muttered.

Marcus glared at me. I clamped my mouth shut and looked down at my knees. Yeesh, my uncle needed a funny bone.

But Aro laughed delightedly. "You have a very charming daughter, Marcus."

Both Marcus and I blanched. "She's not my daughter."

"We look nothing alike!"

"She's my niece."

"Please don't say that again."

Aro smiled. "She resembles you so well, my friend. She even has a scar in the same place as you."

I jerked my head up and looked at Marcus. Holy Calypso, he was right! We had the exact same reedy scar that split our right jaw down the middle.

"Coincidence," I said flatly.

Marcus glanced at Aro, sighed, touched the back of my neck and muttered, "_Slytha_."

I gasped and my eyes widened for a moment then they grew heavy and closed and the last thing I heard was Aro saying "Was that really necessary?"

* * *

It was mid-afternoon when I woke up. And, boy was I _pissed_ off! "Son of a bitch!" I hissed, jumping up and out of the plush bed I'd been laid on to sleep in. Marcus was gonna get it and he was gonna get it good!

I yanked open the door and ran into a wall. Okay, not exactly a wall, more like a hard surface, but it did knock the wind out of me. I stumbled back with an "Oomph!"

A hand lashed out and caught me around the waist before I hit the floor. It was Aro and two others. Aro held me in a dip and- so help me, God- I blushed.

"I see you've woken up," Aro smiled.

I scrambled out of his grip. "Obviously. Where's Marcus?"

"He's right here," said Aro waving at the two other vampires. "My brothers Marcus and Caius."

I gave him a flat stare. "I meant my uncle. Really old and soon to be dead."

"She has spunk, this one," Caius said in a stage whisper.

"He's out in the gardens," said Marcus Volturi.

I dodged around them and marched straight out of the Volturi castle- or was it a mansion? - and out into the gardens where I found my uncle sitting on a bench.

"What in the Seven Seas was that?" I exploded at him. "Why in Hell did you put me to sleep?"

Marcus stared at me with hard eyes. "I had business to discuss with Aro and I didn't want you interrupting what I had to say."

I narrowed my eyes. "It had something to do with me, huh?"

Marcus raised an eyebrow. "Why would you assume that?"

"Because if it wasn't, you'd have told me to listen to my ipod, or something, not put me out."

Marcus snorted. "When did you get so smart?"

Whoa, was that an affectionate tone I heard in his voice? Nah. "I've always been smart. You've just never been around to see it."

Marcus' eyes turned steely and he stood up, towering over me. "While you're here, I expect you to be on your best behavior. Do I make myself clear?"

"Clear as crystal," I shot back. "In fact, I can see right thru." I turned around and stalked away.

"Aro was interested in what happened to your parents," Marcus called to me.

I froze. Oh, he did _not_ just say that. I whirled back to him and gave him my most deadly look. "Shut up."

"He and your father actually knew each other."

"Shut up!" I screamed. "Shut up about my dad, you son of a bitch!"

Marcus laughed harshly. "She was your fathers' mother, too."

I felt tears prick my eyes. No! Not in front of Marcus! I turned tail and ran deeper into the gardens.

I stumbled to a stop under a globe willow tree. I collapsed against the trunk and cried into my knees. Damn Marcus to Hell! He purposefully forced me to breakdown! Why would he do that?

I looked up to the sky and stared at the clouds. It hit me so suddenly that the breath whooshed out of me; I missed my parents.

* * *

I jerked awake suddenly. My eyes flew open and my gut clenched. What the Hell? I leapt to my feet in the span of a millisecond- the vampires would've been proud- while simultaneously pulling out two hand automatics.

I didn't know how or why, but I knew that something was very, very wrong.

I ran for the Volturi castle-mansion-whatever with the cool twilight wind stinging my face, yet the breeze was not the source of the cold feeling that crept thru my veins like some messenger of Death. Wow, that was a bit poetic.

I tore thru the thick bushes and stopped. I could hear screams and snarls coming from inside the Volturi castle-mansion-whatever. Something big was going down. Just my fucking luck.

I ran inside and froze. I just walked in on a fight between two covens of very pissed of vampires. Shit.

Three of the strangers charged me, but they seemed to go slower than I would have expected for vampires with speed that surpassed the Flash. I fired my automatics, realizing too late that they wouldn't affect them. But to my immense surprise the vampires shrieked and fell to the bullets.

"A-dump me, daddy-o!" I crowed.

One of the Volturi flitted up to me and took up a defensive position. "That was impressive, for a human."

I winked at him. "Aw, that's nothing. Watch this." I sucked in a huge breath and felt energy flow thru my body, just as I'd been taught. I let out the air and leapt high into the air and kicked off from the wall and sailed over the heads of the vampires. I holstered my automatics and out came the retractable katana I kept holstered to my thigh.

I swept the katana down in an arc and decapitated one of the offending parasites. They shrieked their fury while the Volturi gained the upper hand. I landed on one of the Ancients' thrones and looked around. Where were the Ancients?

"Hey, Alec!" I called to the boy-vampire as the offending vampires were cast into oblivion. "Where're Aro and his brothers?"

Alec looked around and frowned. "They were right here."

"Shit," I grumbled. "Okay, who left their leaders alone without protection? You know what, never mind. I'll go find them, the rest of you can clean this place up."

I raced thru the halls, homing in on the Ancients' life force. They were running from something- and not the wannabe vampires I just dispatched.

Growling under my breath, I launched myself onto the stone wall to get a better view. "Hullo," I muttered, spotting the vampires. "What are you running from?" I ran swiftly on the stone and jumped straight in front of the Ancients. "What's up?"

"Keep moving!" Caius hissed.

I looked over their shoulders to see… "Holy Hera." Seven men shrouded in black cloaks were chasing them. Us.

Aro seized me around the waist and my stomach was suddenly left where I'd been standing a millisecond ago. "Crikey! Those are Ringwraiths!"

"You know them?" Marcus asked.

"I know _of_ them," I replied. "They're not supposed to be in this World!" Obviously.

I looked ahead of us. "Hold up! Stop!"

The wind stopped tugging at me and I knelt down- half to catch my breath and another half to feel the dirt below our feet. We were well out of the city, standing in the middle of a deep and wide ditch.

"A riverbed," I muttered. I straightened up. "Is there are water source nearby?"

Aro pointed to the north. "A few miles that way, I believe. Why?"

I smiled. "Oh I have the most awesome idea!"

We climbed up on the opposite side of the ditch and waited for the Wraiths.

"What sort of plan is this?" Caius asked.

"Shh!" I hissed. "I'm concentrating!"

"On what?"

"Saving your ass," I snapped. "Oh Hell, here they come."

The Wraiths stopped on the opposite side of us. "Give up the Ancients, she-Jumper!"

I hefted my katana. "If you want them, come and claim them!"

The Wraiths laughed and moved forward.

"What kind of plan is this?!" Caius demanded.

I closed my eyes and breathed, "_Neno hithin lasto bethal. Remo nin bo hil nuglia. Neno hithin lasto bethal! Remo nin bo hil nuglia!_"

And so help me, it worked.

A rush of white water washed the Wraiths away.

"Bouya!" I yelled. "Who's bad?"

"Magic," Marcus breathed.

"Certainly worthy of tale," Aro said. "But come, we must return home."

A black hand suddenly shot out of the water. I shrieked as it flew at me and ducked. It was a hand…just the hand! Gross!

"That's definatly gonna give me nightmares," I moaned. "Ew, it's still twitching!"

Caius raised an eyebrow. "You can stand up to nine creatures in black, but you cringe at the sight of a severed hand?"

I wasn't listening to him. I noticed something about the hand. "Oh, bugger it," I whispered. I knelt down and picked up the hand. "Son of a bitch!"

"What is it?" Aro asked.

A light blue mist was falling out of the appendage. It was a vortex.

"One of them was a Jumper," I choked out. "I killed a Jumper!"

The vortex spiraled down my wrist and sank into my skin.

Oh Marcus was gonna hand my ass to me!

* * *

"Alyssa."

I cringed into Aro's side. "Uncle."

Marcus looked around at the bodies of the offending vampire wannabes. "Well done. You've passed the test."

"Uh…what?" I squeaked.

"You successfully used magic from another World," Marcus clarified. "Usually only those who graduated can do such a thing."

This had been a test?

My blood started to boil. "You sent nine Jumpers cloaked in Nazgul robes after me to see if I could use magic?"

"Yes," he said simply.

I tossed the severed hand at him. "That happened because of your theatrics! Jesus, are they okay?"

"Except for the one whom this belonged to," Marcus said, waving the hand around, "they're fine."

I was about to have a fit. "And what about that blue mist that came out of it? It went into me!"

Marcus raised an eyebrow. "Good. When he really dies, the rest will come to you."

I gasped, feeling suddenly sick. I ran from the hall and back up to my room, where I was sick in the sink.

Marcus had tricked me in the most heinous way possible.

I hated him for it.

* * *

_Aro stares after Alyssa. "That was a harsh thing to do, Marcus."_

_Marcus shrugs. "It is necessary. She is the strongest of Jumpers. She must learn to control it before she hurts someone."_

"_She is your niece," Marcus Volturi whispers._

"_So I should go easy on her because she is my blood?"_

"_Of course not," Aro says sharply. "Alyssa is as proud as you, my friend. But neither should you treat her so callously. She has never known her parents and you have distanced yourself from her. She needs love, Marcus, as every living thing does."_

_Marcus scowls more deeply than ever. "You are the last person to talk to me about love, Volturi. You eat living things, but do not bat an eye. I will decide how I will treat my niece, not you."_

_Aro's face contorts into an ugly mask. "I remember how ardently you clutched Alyssa to your chest when you brought her here from the fire. You were so frightened for her that you refused to put her down. You are now the shell of that man, Jumper."_

_The Ancients withdraw from the room, as do the other vampires, leaving Marcus alone in the candlelit hall to brood over the past._

Alyssa as a tiny three-year-old, smoke-stained and weeping in his arms.

Alyssa, clutching at his chest with unimaginable strength that did not befit such a small young thing.

Alyssa with tears streaming down her dirty cheeks from dark blue orbs that resembled his brothers.

_With a curse, Marcus spins around and summons his vortex to him. He Jumps, but not before a slight wail of despair reaches his ears._

_Alyssa…_

* * *

I felt the heat on my skin, rising up thru the floorboards and stinging me with licks of flame.

_Wake up! Wake up!_

I could hear my mother screaming for father. I could hear father shouting for me. "Papa!"

Fire spat up and caught the gossamer canopy above my bed aflame. I screamed in fear and pressed myself up against the opposite wall. "Papa!"

"Aly!"

I sobbed, not liking the smoke that constricted my throat. "Mama! Help me!"

_Wake up, damnit! You're dreaming! Wake up, Alyssa!_

The ceiling caught fire and a beam crashed down in front of my door. I screamed in pure terror. I could hear mother screaming, too, but it was painful… So painful…

_No! Wake up! Now!_

I woke up screaming my head off. I was smothered in something, constricting my air. I couldn't breathe! The smoke had followed me!

"Alyssa!"

I tried to twist away from the cold hand that touched my shoulder, but I fell off my bed and crashed to the floor. "Argh!"

"Alyssa, be still!"

I forced myself to stop thrashing about and the bed covers were twisted off me. I shuddered and looked around wildly. Aro was crouching beside me with Jane, Alec and Felix standing in the door frame.

With a strangled snarl, I lurched to my feet. "Out! Get out!"

Aro blinked in surprise as he straightened. "Excuse me?"

"Get out!" I howled and pressed my hands against his chest and shoved him away. "Out!"

"Alyssa, what is wrong?"

I snarled again and I felt a horrible feral power spark to life within me. The vampires took a step back, fear in their eyes.

I slammed the door shut and glared at it; silently daring them to force themselves back in. When they didn't, I slowly let horror sink into me and I sank down onto my bed, shaking uncontrollably.

* * *

_Aro feels as thou he will never forget the wild and scared look that had been in Alyssa's eyes. He knew what she had been dreaming about; the fire. Her reaction had been similar to when Marcus had brought her to them._

She will suffer much more before the end_, Aro thinks. "The poor dear."_

"_What was it?" Caius asks when Aro walks into the library._

"_A nightmare," Aro said. "I believe it was the fire."_

"_Marcus is to blame," Caius growls. "Putting her thru that blasted test."_

"_He must realize how much she is hurting," Marcus Volturi sighs. "It is easy to read in her eyes."_

"_She reacted like a rabid animal," Aro replies. "It was a truly venerable side of her. I don't like it."_

"_She must hate it as much," Marcus breaths. "We should not talk of it to her, lest she speaks first."_

"_Agreed."_

* * *

I slipped silently thru the halls of the Volturi castle-mansion-whatever. I had no intention of speaking to the vampires. Everyone would've heard my screams last night and I didn't want any stares, sneers, comments or pity. I couldn't go outside because it was raining and pouring hail the size of baseballs. Stupid Mediterranean climate.

I was on the far side of the castle-mansion-whatever, where there were no vampires at all. I sighed, finally relaxing and leaned against a pillar. I let out a surprised yelp when the pillar moved and slid into the wall.

A blast of dusty air hit me and I coughed. I blinked and my mouth dropped opened. "No fucking way."

A secret passage!

"I love this World," I giggled. I walked inside, but the pillar closed behind me. "Aw shit."

It was pitch black. I couldn't see anything. I dug into my pocket and withdrew my cigarette lighter. I let it burn and walked down a pair of stairs. My hip bumped into something and I grunted with pain. I felt what it was and my fingers came away wet. I tasted it and spat it out. Oil. Gross.

I lowered my lighter and fire roared to life, running down a dais in the middle of the stairs and around the walls of a vast room and chandeliers on the ceiling.

"Wow," I grinned. "I am geeking out right now."

The entire room was like two cathedrals put together and it was full of all things recreational.

I was about to jump into the pin of plastic balls like a kindergartener, when I heard someone calling my name upstairs. "Son of a bitch," I gripped. I blew out the flame and walked back up and out thru the pillar.

"Alyssa?"

I frowned and slipped behind a crevice in the opposite wall. Felix walked thru the hall and stopped, listening for me. I held my breath and stilled my heart to an almost mediocre thump.

Felix sighed and moved on. I waited for a minute then slipped out of the crevice and slinked up a flight of stairs and thru the first doors I saw; two very big oak doors.

I sighed in relief. "Alone at last."

"Not quite."

I spun around, swiping out a dagger hidden up my sleeve. Aro was sitting on a sofa, his feet propped up on a table, a book in one hand and a goblet in another.

"Crap," I muttered, sheathing my knife.

"If it'll help, I'll forget I saw you," Aro said, smiling.

I folded my arms. "Don't patronize me. I'm not a child."

"Even by your mortal standards, you are," Aro argued. "However, Jumpers are as proud as my brothers and I, so I'll not treat you by the standards of your years."

His words surprised me. It was a reply Marcus would've given.

Aro raised an eyebrow and straightened, setting down his book and drink. "That is what you want, isn't it? To be treated like an adult?"

"Yes," I said defiantly. "Kind of." I sagged. "I don't know."

Aro stood and clasped his hands behind his back. "You want to be treated like an adult but not brusquely or cruelly."

"You can read minds," I muttered.

"I can understand Jumpers," Aro clarified. "I've known Jumpers ever since I first became an immortal. Your uncle was just one of many."

I sighed and crossed over to the couch and slouched down into it. "How can you stand him? He's so…so…arrogant!"

Aro stared at me for a minute, taking in my appearance. I watched him from the corner of my eye and tried to figure out what he was looking for.

"What do you remember about the fire?"

My heart skipped a beat. What?!

I swallowed. "I need to go."

I stood up and made my way to the doors, but Aro used his super-vamp speed to beat me to it. He stood between me and my escape.

"Alyssa," he whispered. "What do you remember?"

I looked around for another exit, but found none. Aw, man! What was I gonna do?

"You obviously remember the flame," Aro pressed. "What do you see in your dreams?"

Maybe if I jumped out the window… No, that would hurt way too much. I so wanted to Jump out of here, but Marcus would be watching me. I had another week to stay here.

"Do you remember Marcus Jumping in and saving you?"

"Saving me?!" I spat out. "I don't know how I got out of that fire, but Marcus certainly didn't save me."

Aro cocked his head. "He is your uncle. He cares for you."

I let out a snarl of mirth. "I remember the fire perfectly. I can still feel the flames licking at my skin and the smoke in my throat! I can hear my parents screaming as they sizzled into ash! I don't remember Marcus ever being there and I don't remember him ever caring for me."

Aro was still after my tirade. "Well then," he said, "now that we've gotten that out." He sat down, propping up his feet again and picked up his book.

I hesitated then sat next to him. I pulled up my feet and leaned into his side, snuggling against him, his cold skin oddly soothing to me.

* * *

_Aro hears him coming up the stairs._

_Marcus strides in, wearing his usual scowl. He stops at the sight of Alyssa snuggled against the Ancients' side, curled up like a little kitten. It was like stepping back in time. Except Alyssa had a scar running along her chin and above her left eyebrow._

"_She dreamed of the fire last night," Aro tells him. "She woke up screaming."_

_Marcus flinches. "What did you do?"_

"_We talked," Aro replies. "She remembers everything…except you Jumping inside."_

_Marcus puts back on his scowl. "Really?"_

"_Is there something you wanted?" Aro asks politely, but sharply._

"_Change of plans," Marcus says. "Alyssa leaves the day after tomorrow. Something has come up back Home. I don't want her to know just yet."_

"_Dangerous?" Aro inquires._

"_No," Marcus replies slowly. "But I want to make sure."_

_Aro sees the look in his eye. "It's not a rogue, is it?"_

"_We're not sure," Marcus confesses. "All the same, keep a look out. I'll let you know of any developments."_

_Aro dips his head. "Very well. Be careful, old friend. Especially if it is a rogue."_

_Marcus nods back and, with a longing look at Alyssa, leaves._

* * *

**Frank closed the door of his daughter's bedroom. He walked downstairs where his wife was washing the dishes.**

"**Is she asleep?" Evangeline asked.**

"**Finally," Frank smiled. "Ah, she has more of Marcus in her than me."**

**Evangeline bit her lower lip. "Do you think she'll have the vortex?"**

**Frank frowned. "It's…possible. Mother had it and Marcus has it. It's in her blood, Ev. But we'll never know for certain until she's twelve."**

**Evangeline sighed and sank into a chair. "I'm still not sure how I feel about this."**

**Frank stroked his wife's black hair. "She'll be fine. If she does become a Jumper, she'll have Marcus to mentor her."**

"**He hasn't been himself ever since the princess died," Evangeline fretted. "It's been almost four years, Frank."**

"**I'll be depressed forever, should you leave me," Frank said, kissing her cheek.**

**Evangeline smiled then stood up, kissed Frank and went upstairs to get ready for bed.**

* * *

**A loud crash woke little Alyssa from her sweet dreams. At first she thought her uncle Marcus had come into her room to kiss her goodnight, but she was alone. She lifted her head from her plush pillows and scooped away the gossamer canopy that surrounded her bed. "Mama?"**

**Alyssa scooted out of her bed and started towards the door, but a roar made her squeak in fear and she backed into her bureau. She could hear her mother screaming something and her father yelling.**

**Heat seeped into the bedroom and the air was soon thick with smoke. Alyssa coughed, huddling against the wall. "Papa!"**

"**Aly!"**

"**Papa, help!"**

**She heard someone laughing. It was a horrible sound, like it might turn into a scream of agony.**

**Fire began to burst up between the floorboards, licking Alyssa's toes and ankles. She screamed and pushed herself harder against the wall. "Papa!"**

**The gossamer canopy burst into flames and the ceiling caught fire soon after.**

**Alyssa heard her mother let out one last scream and then no more. Her father was still screaming in agony on the staircase. Tears slid down Alyssa's cheeks and began to pool on the floor. A beam fell from the ceiling and crashed against the bedroom door.**

**Alyssa coughed and slumped to the side, her eyes fluttering, her last thought of that her father was as silent as her mother.**

**A large green vortex burst into life by the window. Marcus stepped out, startled at the sudden heat and smoke and flames.**

"**No!" he cried out when he saw his beloved niece unconscious on the floor. He leapt over the fallen beam and gathered Alyssa into his arms. The ceiling began to crack above and Marcus ran into his vortex just in time.**

**Aro Volturi was pleased to see the familiar green vortex burst into life before him. He was, however, surprised by the smell of smoke and fire that leaked out of it.**

**Marcus burst out, carrying a tiny girl in his arms, coughing and sputtering. The vortex closed and Marcus fell to his knees.**

**Aro and Carlisle flitted forward. "Marcus! What happened?"**

"**A fire," Marcus gasped. "Fred and Evangeline are dead. I couldn't leave Alyssa."**

**Carlisle studied the girl and placed her to be about three years old. "Good lord, she looks terrible!"**

**Alyssa shifted in her uncles' arms and began to cry. Marcus swayed and Carlisle steadied him as Aro took the girl into his arms.**

"**Shh," Aro soothed the girl, not caring a bit that her soot stained nightgown smudged his pristine cream outfit. "Hush, now, child. All will be well in time."**

**Alyssa quieted after a few minutes, but she still shook in convulsions and her lips trembled against Aro's hard neck.**

"**Do you know who caused the fire?" Carlisle asked Marcus.**

**Marcus coughed. "No. But I swear by my life's blood that I will find out."**

* * *

**A/N: yeah... i torture my characters and have fun doing it. trust me, this is child's play compared to what's coming next.**

**and i get to see Breaking Dawn part 2 next Saturday! woo hoo!**


	7. Vampire Academy

The Jumper

* * *

_ VAMPIRE ACADEMY-_

* * *

I hit the grass with only a slight amount of pain. I'd learn how to roll and jump to my feet. Kat and Lupe were good at it, too. This time around, it was just Kat and I. Marcus was 'evaluating' Lupe on a different World. He'd done the same with Kat last week. Apparently they went to _Star Trek_ and Marcus got his ass handed to him by Q. I knew there was a reason why I liked that guy. Hahahaha!

"Ha!" crowed Kat. "We have now mastered the art of Jumping!"

I brushed myself off. "Don't count your eggs until they're in the pudding; we still fall down."

Kat shot me a look. "Sure, but give a girl some credit."

I looked around and saw four people running pell-mell towards us. "Ah, a welcoming committee." I raised my hands up. "Speaking of falling down..."

Kat raised her hands. "There's a fine line between falling down and being knocked down."

The guardians reached us and I recognized one of them. "Hiyah, Dimitri. How's it hanging?"

Dimitri Belikov stopped in front of me. "Alyssa? What are you doing here?"

I smiled crookedly. "Showing my friend here the wonders of you kick ass dhampirs."

Dimitri turned to the other guardians. "She's fine. An old friend."

"The headmistress will want to see them," one of the women said.

Dimitri put a hand on my shoulder and led Kat and I up to the school. "You've come at an interesting time, Alyssa."

I exchanged a look with Kat. "Really?"

Dimitri nodded. "I just came back from retrieving the Dragomir princess and a novice guardian."

I brightened slightly at that. "Yeah, you're still the badass guy I knew back in Siberia."

Kat cleared her throat loudly. "I didn't know you were here before."

I shot her an apologetic look. "Heh, right, sorry. Dimitri, this is Kat, one of my best friends from Home. Kat meet Dimitri Belikov, guardian extraordinaire and the only notable guy in this World."

Dimitri laughed. "Alyssa exaggerates a lot."

Kat ruffled my hair. "Yeah, she's a tease."

I rolled my eyes at both of them.

* * *

I walked inside the gym, ready to do some single combat, but instead I walked in on Dimitri stretching with a girl a few years older than me. "Hey, D."

Dimitri raised a hand in welcome. "Rose, this is Alyssa, a friend from Siberia. Alyssa this is Rosemarie Hathaway."

I shook her hand. "Yeah, the runaway novice. You must've done something pretty extraordinary to catch Dimitri's eye."

Dimitri frowned slightly while Rose smiled. "I actually just ran away with my friend, Lissa."

"The Dragomir princess? Very interesting."

Dimitri cleared his throat. "We'd better get back to practicing."

I smiled at them. "Why don't we show Rose how to spar?"

"She already knows how to spar," Dimitri mumbled.

Rose smiled slyly. "I could probably learn something from watching."

Ah, the divinity of girl power. Dimitri and I walked onto the sparring mat, assessing each other with narrowed eyes.

I remembered what Marcus had always told me; never make the first move. And I didn't.

Dimitri attacked my left side, swinging his arm at me. I leaned away from him, ducked behind him and kicked him away.

Dimitri glanced at me and leaped up to come crashing down on me. I merely stepped to the right.

"You're cheating," he said with a half-smile.

I shrugged. "I'm just waiting for the badass god to start giving his student a lesson. You shouldn't hold back just because I'm smaller than you."

Dimitri sighed. "You and your imagination. Very well, I hope you don't bruise too easily like in Siberia." He started to step up the fight.

After five whole minutes, Dimitri slapped me to the ground. He turned his back to me and I made my move.

Using a technique that Jasper had taught me, I swiped Dimitri's legs out from under him with my arms. I jerked my knee up and brought him back up, only to trap him in a vice grip, holding my hand flat against his throat. "Never show your back unless you're sure your enemy is dead." I kissed his cheek and let him go.

Rose applauded. "That was awesome!"

Dimitri rubbed his legs where I'd hit him. "That was some trick at the end. We didn't learn that in Siberia, did we?"

I shook my head. "I picked it up with some other friends of mine."

* * *

Kat and I were walking along the grounds, talking to each other in Sindarin. "So, how do you like it here so far?"

Kat shrugged. "It's not so bad. The dhampirs are remarkable as are the Moroi. It's a little bizarre having two different types of vampires, isn't it?"

"Yes," I agreed. "It can get a little confusing at first."

"When does it become clear?" Kat asked.

I grimaced. "When you come face to face with your first Strigoi."

Kat laughed.

"Hey, Alyssa!"

We turned to see Rose walking towards us with a blonde Moroi in tow.

"Hello, Rose," I said. "This is Kat. Kat, this is Rose Hathaway."

Kat shook her hand. "Pleased to meet you."

"I'm Lissa," said the Moroi.

I smiled. "Ah, the vigilante princess. It's so good to finally meet someone who matches our wills, eh Kat?"

Kat rolled her eyes. "Oh, I'm tearing up with happiness."

The four of us laughed.

"Are you staying with us long?" asked Lissa.

I shrugged. "That all depends on how long my uncle doesn't take notice of me."

"And the average on that is…?"

I smiled crookedly. "Until I get bored."

* * *

"Alyssa, wake up!"

I groaned as the veil of sleep lifted from me. "What? I just fell asleep."

Kat pulled at my arm. "Come on, you won't believe what I found out!"

That sparked my interest. "What is it?"

Kat grinned. "They have a dance club here!"

The spark died down. "You woke me up for a dance lesson? God, Kat. If you wanna go and scoop up some guys, go ahead. I'm tired."

Kat frowned then lit up again. "They have karaoke down there."

I turned towards her. "Karaoke?"

Damn Kat, but she knew my weakness.

I got out of bed and dressed in tight white jeans, dark heels, a light pink tank top and a very thin white jacket.

We walked into the gym where tons of students were socializing with a few teachers supervising. One of them was Dimitri.

"Howdy, partner," I greeted him. "I didn't think you were into this stuff."

Dimitri shook his head in exasperation. "I was asked to watch over this."

"And you enjoy every minute of it," Kat said with a wink.

Dimitri rolled his eyes. "Are you two here to tease me or did you have another reason to leave your beds?"

I looked over at the karaoke station. "Actually, we came to see what the music was like here. I'm a little disappointed."

Dimitri chuckled. "Then why don't you educate them? You did major in entertainment."

I exchanged a look with Kat and we said in unison "We thought you'd never ask."

We walked thru the dancing bodies, drawing some attention, including from Rose and Lissa, who waved at us.

I picked up a headset as Kat put in a CD. "Alright, St. Vlad's, it's time to step it up a bit."

Kat put on her own headset. "_It's_ _your_ _girl_ _Kat. This is the place to be_!"

"_You're crazy," _I said_. "Come rock with me! Couldn't wait to leave but know I hate to go. Last day of camp, packin' my bags so slow. Made so many friends, why does it have to end? In the end it's a win 'cause we grown so close together."_

"_Remember when we first met?"_ sang Kat. _"First day? Figured this would be no fun- no way- and now it's time to leave, but we wanna stay!"_

"_Stay, stay, stay, stay, stay," _we threw at each other then we jumped down off the main stage to the stairs.

"_Hasta la vista! I'm a-gonna say goodbye to you. What ever happens I'll be cool with you. Wanna give me your number, I'll call ya, promise I won't forget ya. Hasta la vista! We'll all be going our separate ways. Say everything you didn't say, this your moment, before you go c'mon up, now, get up and show them! Keep doin' your thing, thing, thing. Keep doin' your thing, thing, thing. Keep doin' your thing, thing, thing. Keep doin' your thing, thing, thing!"_

Kat did a somersault in the air and landed in the midst of the students and break danced for them. I joined her, spiraling between her outstretched legs that were high up in the air.

"_H-A-S-T-A!"_ the students roared. _"La vista! H-A-S-T-A! La vista!"_

"_Hasta la vista! I'm a-gonna say goodbye to you. What ever happens I'll be cool with you. Wanna give me your number, I'll call ya, promise I won't forget ya! Hasta la vista! We'll all be goin' our separate ways. Say everything you didn't say, this is your moment, before you go c'mon up, now, get up and show them! Keep doin' your thing, thing, thing. Keep doin' your thing, thing, thing. Keep doin' your thing, thing, thing. Keep doin' your thing, thing, thing. Hasta la vista!"_

The students applauded and whooped.

"Again!" Rose hollered. "Again!"

"Your public awaits," sighed Kat. "I'm gonna get something to drink."

I smiled. "Go ahead. I have a solo I've been dying to do for awhile."

As Kat went to the refreshment table, I tapped the karaoke player. _"Right now, he's probably slow dancing with a bleach blonde tramp and she's probably getting' frisky. Right now, he's probably buyin' her some fruity little drink 'cause she can't shoot whiskey. Right now, he's probably up behind her with a pool-stick showin' her who to shoot a combo…and he don't know…I dug my key into the side of his pretty little souped up four-wheeled drive, carved my name into his leather seats. I took a Louisville slugger to both headlights, slashed a hole in all four tires and maybe next time he'll think before he cheats._

_Right now, she's probably up singing some white-trash version of Shania Karaoke. Right now she's probably sayin' 'I'm drunk' and he's a-thinkin' that he's gonna get lucky. Right now, he's probably dabbin' on three dollars worth of that bathroom polo…oh and he don't know…that I dug my key into the side of his pretty little souped up four-wheeled drive, carved my name into his leather seats. I took a Louisville slugger to both headlights, slashed a hole in all four tires and maybe next time he'll think before he cheats. I might've saved a little trouble for the next girl, 'cause the next time that he cheats, oh, you know it won't be on me. No, not on me._

'_Cause I dug my key into the side of his pretty little souped up four-wheeled drive, carved my name into his leather seats… I took a Louisville slugger to both headlights, slashed a hole in all four tires and maybe next time he'll think before he cheats. Oh, maybe next time he'll think before he cheats. Ohh, before he cheats. Oh…"_

* * *

I was lounging in the gym with a CD player and reading up on the latest _Pendragon_ Record when Dimitri walked in. "Howdy, comrade."

"Alyssa," he greeted. He sat down on the floor next to my legs. "How was your night?"

"Uneventful," I yawned; sipping the cappuccino Kat had just brought me before heading off to talk with Lissa.

Dimitri chuckled as he opened his own book. "You say that like that's a bad thing."

"For me? Yeah, it kinda is."

"It must be so boring for you here," he teased.

I shifted a little and ran a hand thru his long hair. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't you used to have short and curly hair back at St Basil's?"

Dimitri turned his head slightly and winked at me. "You should remember. My hair was the thing that got you hooked on me in the first place."

We both blushed and looked away.

"This is suddenly very awkward," I muttered, trying to focus on the Records I held and failing.

"I'm sorry," Dimitri said humbly. "I know you said you wanted to forget it. When you left and didn't come back, I thought you were avoiding me."

I sat up and wrapped my arms around him. "I love you, D, but as a brother. Besides," I said slyly, "there's somebody who I think will make you a very happy man."

And then Rose walked in. "Oh," she exclaimed when she saw me holding Dimitri. "Uh, am I interrupting something?"

I smiled lazily. "Nah, just swapping stories about the good days. You know; me kicking his ass, him trying and failing to kick mine."

Dimitri rolled his eyes. "Believe what you want, but I kicked you down more times than you did me."

"You trained with him?" Rose asked. "You're not that old, are you?"

"Yes and no," I snickered. "It's a very long story and I'll tell you about it sometime, but right now you've got a lesson."

"You won't run with us?" said Dimitri.

"Are you kidding?" I said. "You're the teacher, she's the student, and I'm a bystander. Besides, I have my own work to do." I swung back on the bleacher and went back to reading _Pendragon_.

"You're reading," Rose pointed out. "What, you have a history paper due?"

"Again it's a long story that I'll tell you later," I said evasively. "Go on, Rose, out-run Dimitri so that I can tease him later."

"What's with all the running, anyway?" Rose asked. "I realize its importance of stamina, but shouldn't I be learning something with a little hitting. They're still killing me in class."

"Maybe you should hit harder," said Dimitri drily. "What do you do when you're confronted by a Strigoi?"

"I stab him with a silver stake," Rose said immediately.

"Do you have a stake?" Dimitri asked. "Do you even know how to use one?"

"Okay, I'll cut his head off."

"Ignoring the fact he's a foot taller than you and you don't have a weapon."

"Fine, I'll set him on fire."

"With what?"

Rose scowled. "Okay, I give up. What do I do?"

"You run," I said simply. "Yeah, not so glamorous, but seriously, it could save your life some day."

As Rose and Dimitri ran around the track, I read more about a World I so totally wanted to visit. Seriously, I had five years before I graduated. When was I going to this World?!

"Good form, Rose!"

I looked up to see Rose wave at a group of dhampirs.

"You're slowing down," Dimitri snapped at her. "Is this why your times aren't getting any better; you're easily distracted?"

Whoa, harsh. I looked over at the group dhampirs and saw Rose's friend Mason there. I eyed Dimitri beadily. Hmm…very interesting. I hadn't read the Records of this World, but Kat had. Was there something going on between Rose and Dimitri? Ooh, I was gonna start digging!

"You shaved off two minutes, Rose," I said when they finished with the laps. I looked pointedly at Dimitri. "That is very good."

Rose smiled then gasped and tensed up.

"Rose!" Dimitri said.

I dropped the Records and took Rose by the shoulders. "Rose? Hey, c'mon, girl, snap out of-"

Rose came back to reality. "Lissa," she breathed and she was off.

I snatched up my Records and Dimitri and I followed her over to the Moroi dorms where Kat and Lissa were standing outside Lissa's room.

"What is it?" Rose and I demanded.

"I wouldn't go in there," Kat warned. She looked green.

I pushed open the door. "Holy fucking Hell."

A fox was lying on Lissa's pillow, its throat slit.

* * *

A few days after the fox incident, I was walking with Kat around the gym, listening to some ABBA songs. "Hey, what do you know about Rose and Dimitri?"

Kat smiled slyly. "Oh, you've caught on to it, have you?"

"I knew it!" I cried. "I knew there was chemistry between them! How does it happen?"

Kat scoffed. "Alyssa, have you seen Dimitri? He's a sexy, badass Russian god! And Rose is pretty. C'mon, Alyssa, they're doin' all this physical stuff together. Yes, you and Dimitri had a history…"

"Nothing like that," I growled. "I love him as a brother. An incredibly sexy and badass brother."

Kat snorted. "You can really pick 'em."

"I'd like to see you do better," I shot back. "Hey, have you read any good Records lately?"

"Uh, yeah, the _Demonata_ series by Darren Shan is pretty good."

"Shan? Ain't that the same guy who did the _Cirque_ _du_ _Freak_?"

"Yeah. Guy's a regular Bram Stoker, but he's so much more screwed up. The last Record actually came out. I'd think you'd dig it."

"Any gory, horrible deaths?"

"Oh, you have no idea."

* * *

I was walking down the hallway to my room, when I nearly bumped into Dimitri. "Hey, bucko, how's it…whoa, what happened?"

Dimitri was scowling so severely he looked like Marcus. "Nothing." A very Marcus response.

I followed him to one of the secluded lounges where I could hear Rose talking to someone. "I told you, I'm not like that. But if you want something to do with your mouth, I can give you some ideas."

Dimitri practically took the door off its hinges. I peeked around his side to see Rose- her top off and sporting a black bra- and some Moroi boy. Oh, this should be good.

Dimitri took the Moroi by the back of his shirt and held him up. "What is your name?"

"J-Jesse, sir. Jesse Zelkos, sir."

"Do you know the penalty for boy-girl interaction in Russia, Zelkos?" I asked.

The Moroi shook his head.

I smiled. "I'll give you a clue." I jerked my head pointedly at Dimitri. Yeah, nobody wanted to mess with a really ripped, really tall and a really pissed off Russian guy.

"Now go," Dimitri growled and Zelkos was gone faster than any jackrabbit I've ever seen.

I watched him scamper down the hall and turn a corner. "It's a pity what passes for a vampire these days." I turned back to see Dimitri staring at Rose…and I mean _really_ staring at her. And she was blushing.

I cleared my throat loudly. "Rose, you might wanna put that shirt back on and I'll take you back to the dorm."

Dimitri jerked back to Earth and snorted like an angry bull. "Don't you ever let me catch you like this again," he warned Rose.

"I don't know," I muttered, "I think you like her like this."

Only Dimitri heard me and he glared at me. I stared right back at him and he left with another snort.

Rose pulled on her shirt and stood next to me. "What's his problem?"

"Oh, he just has a terribly huge crush on you and he thinks the World of you and it hurts him to see you with another guy, but you were doing a lot of things for him in that bra of yours," I said carelessly.

Rose cocked an eyebrow. "You're kidding, right?"

"Yes," I said and we fell into a fit of giggles. "C'mon, I better get you back to your dorm. Oh and Rose? Jesse Zelkos is a bit of a dick."

* * *

Kat yawned expansively and groaned. "Oh mama."

I glanced at her pityingly. "I told you not to drink too much."

"Fuck you," she moaned and stuck her head under the pillow. "God, where do these kids get this stuff?"

I pulled on some jeans and a ruffled brown tank top. I finished off the look with gold high heels and jewelry and tied my hair up in a bun. "C'mon, Drinks," I said, nudging Kat's legs. "Dashkov's taking us shopping with Rose and Lissa. Pretty dresses and dazzling jewelry await."

Kat scoffed. "I so do not want to go anywhere with Victor Dashkov."

I frowned. "Okay. Why?"

"You'll see," Kat said mysteriously. "Read the Records sometime. You and Rose are two fucking peas in a pod."

"Thanks," I said in my wise-ass way. "I'll pick you something up. Maybe even a few bottles."

Kat looked up at me and scowled. "I hate you."

I winked at her, picked up my purse and left.

I walked downstairs to where Victor was waiting with Dimitri, Rose, Lissa, Natalie and a handful of other guardians. "Sorry, I'm late. Kat has a hangover and will be sleeping in until…well, probably until tomorrow."

"Where'd she get the drinks?" Victor asked.

"Special Jumper delivery," I replied, careful not to look at Rose or Lissa. "We called in a few favors."

"You seem fine," Dimitri pointed out.

"My alcohol tolerance level is way up there," I said. "That and I didn't drink so much. So, are we going?"

"Yes," said Victor. "We should go now."

* * *

I walked into the mall and made a bee-line for the dresses, dragging Rose, Lissa and Natalie with me. "Okay girls," I said, using a voice like Dimitri's when he was lecturing. "There is a very strict code you need to stick to when shopping for a party dress."

The girls giggled and listened as I told them about the steps to shopping. "First, know your size, color and style."

I walked around them, taking in their bodies, looking for their true size. Kat was better at this, but she'd taught Lupe and me enough about shopping that we could stand on our own. "Okay…Natalie, under no condition are you to pick anything yellow, pink, black or purple. Nothing ruffled or above the knee. Try with 3 to 5 sizes."

Natalie nodded, her face pinched in utter seriousness.

"Lissa, pink, yellow and red are your worst enemies. As are halter tops and jewel necks. Maybe a slit, but nothing to serious. 4 to 5. Got me?"

"Yes, ma'am," Lissa laughed. She and Natalie walked around the several racks of dresses.

"You should be a teacher," Rose joked, keeping her eyes on Lissa.

"I have my hands full with other stuff," I said.

"What did you mean earlier about special Jumper delivery?"

I chewed on the inside of my cheek. "I'll tell you when we go back to school."

"Alyssa!" Natalie called. "What about this one?"

I smiled and walked over to the Moroi to see her holding a red dress peppered with sequins. "Natalie, the color is great, but not the decorations. Try…this one."

* * *

I jerked awake, bolting upright in the backseat. For a moment, I forgot where I was and I almost attacked the man beside me.

"Alyssa, what is it?" Oh…it was Dimitri.

I brushed back my hair. "Sorry, I… I thought I was somewhere else."

Dimitri wrapped an arm around me. "The fire?"

I shivered and let my head rest against his chest. "It was worse this time." I murmured into his jacket. "It's always getting worse."

Dimitri lightly kissed my head. "Rest, Alyssa. Everything is fine."

I shivered again and I let my mind wander in meditation. The fire…the fire… Fire that had started everything…

…ruined everything.

* * *

"Oh my God!" Kat said as we walked into our room.

"What the bloody Hell happened?" I exclaimed.

Our room was totaled! All our clothes and shoes were strun everywhere and our feminine products were on every surface. The full length mirror actually had lipstick drawn all over it.

"I thought you locked the door," Kat accused as she avoided stepping in a puddle of pink nail polish.

"I did," I said, picking up a white mini skirt. "Only another Jumper could've gotten in here."

We stared at each other. "Marcus."

We ran out into the courtyard and I concentrated hard on the slight mental pull that I felt whenever another Jumper was close.

"What's up?" asked Lissa as she and Rose walked up to us.

"Somebody trashed our room," Kat said.

"Tell them the whole story," I said.

Kat started to and got as far as our first Jump, when I felt the pull. "This way!" I barked and dashed across the grass.

We ran over to the gym where Dimitri was talking with Alberta. "Alyssa, what is it?" Dimitri asked.

"Did you see anybody unfamiliar come this way?" I asked.

"No," Alberta said. "Is there an intruder?"

"Are you sure you didn't see anybody?" I pressed. Then I felt the tug, more strongly this time. I turned and saw a boy about my age running away from us. "That's him!"

Kat and I took off after him, with the others following us. We chased him up a hill and I could hear him laughing. The nerve!

I growled and leapt at him. I caught him around the legs and we tumbled down the hill. I got him under me and slammed him down against the ground. "Alright, asshole! You better have a very good explanation as to why you trashed my room!"

He laughed. "How else was I supposed to get your attention?"

"A simple 'hi, how ya doing' would've worked," Kat growled.

"Not as flashy," he said. "I'm Mike, by the way. I'm glad to meet you, Alyssa. You're prettier than how your uncle described you."

I shoved him to his feet. "Marcus sent you!"

Mike dusted off his Daft Punk shirt. "Sort of. Ever heard of the Jumper Companionship?"

I did a face palm. "Ah, Hell, I knew that would come to bite me in the ass! Let me guess, I'm supposed to tail you wherever you go?"

Mike grinned cockily. "Actually, I tail you wherever you go. You, too, Miss Kitty."

"Katherine," she snarled. "You will call me Katherine. Got it?"

"Me-ow," Mike said, winking at her.

Oh God, I was paired up with a freaking cock-sure ladies man!

* * *

"There's nothing more I like better than a forceful woman," Mike said as he scrubbed out the nail polish stain on our carpet.

"I'm not like this, am I?" I asked Kat.

She shook her head. "Nowhere near. He's in a league far above you."

"I like the sound of that, Kitty," Mike said, flashing her a pearly white smile.

"Katherine," Kat hissed, her shoulders rising like a cats' neck fur would.

I rubbed her back. "Don't do it, darlin', he's so not worth it."

Mike laughed. "Ya know, Alyssa? I can see us together. We'd make quite the couple."

I glared at him. "Finish cleaning up in silence and leave. I don't need you to look out for me. I'm perfectly capable of handling things on my own."

Mike shrugged. "I know that. I've read your Journals."

"Excuse me?"

"I was required to before I came here," he replied. "Actually, the Beginners are required to as well. Lord Marcus made it a priority."

Kat and I exchanged dark looks.

"That's private stuff!" I protested.

"Well, the Journals are available to anyone if the Council approves it," Mike said. "Ooh, who does this belong to?" He held up a purple thong.

I grabbed it and hid it behind my back. "Why would the Council let everyone read Journals? Besides from the obvious answer; they're dicks."

Mike laughed. "They only let Jumpers see Journals of those who they deem worthy to be teachers."

"The Council doesn't exactly sing our praises," Kat shot back.

There was a knock on the door frame.

"How is the cleaning coming?" Dimitri asked.

"It'd be a lot faster if he would just shut up," I muttered.

Dimitri gave Mike a sour look then looked back up to me. "I was wondering if you two will be attending tonight's dance."

"Yes," Kat said, still glaring at Mike. "We'll be there."

"What about you?" I asked him.

Dimitri smiled wryly. "You know the answer, Alyssa."

"Dude, c'mon!" I protested. "You've gotta dance sometime in your life."

Dimitri laughed and retreated.

"What is it with guys?" I asked Kat.

She only shrugged in answer.

* * *

I pulled my hair into a braided bun and tied it with a string of blue crystals that matched the halter dress I wore.

Kat slipped on red pumps and adjusted her long ruby dress. "I love crashing parties."

There was a knock on our door.

Thinking it was Rose or Lissa, I called, "Enter."

It was Mike, dressed in a white dress shirt tucked into black slacks and a dark red tie hung loosely around his neck. He whistled appreciation. "I have died and gone of heaven."

"Keep staring like you are and we will kill you," Kat and I snarled together.

Mike chuckled. "Relax, ladies. I'm here to escort you to the dance." He bowed low and held out his hand.

Kat and I stalked out past him.

Twerp.

* * *

The dance was crowded, but that gave Kat and I an opportunity to keep away from Mike. Unfortunately, with us dodging away from him, we didn't have much fun dancing with the dhampirs and Moroi.

"You'd think he'd take the hint," Kat grumbled as we raised our hands up and moved our bodies in beat to the music.

"Men," I sighed. "We'd be lucky if we find someone who'll take 'no' for an answer."

"We'd be lucky if we find someone to spend the rest of our lives with," Kat amended.

"Besides ourselves," I grinned at her.

She laughed. "Yes and Lupe. We three are doomed to an almost-lesbian relationship."

We laughed and spun around. Then I noticed Mike talking with a guardian, both their faces serious. It was a strange look on him as I had only seen the cocksure grin. I pointed them out to Kat and we made our way to them.

"What is it?" I asked.

"We can't find Princess Dragomir," Mike replied. "Something's happened."

Kat groaned. "Crap!"

"You read the Records," I said, "what's up?"

"It's Victor," Kat replied. "He's kidnapped Lissa and he's gonna use her spirit abilities to heal his sickness." She blushed slightly and muttered, "I'll tell you what else happened later."

I raised an eyebrow and turned to the guardian. "Assemble your people in Mistress Kirova's office. We will join you shortly."

"Guardian Belikov already gave the order," he said before walking away.

"He was a little preoccupied tonight," Kat mumbled, scratching her nose.

I eyed her as we walked back to our room. "Meaning..?"

Kat smiled slyly. "Did you see Rose at the dance?"

I thought about it. "No, but what does…" My eyes popped. "Oh! I thought Dimka was eying her dress!"

We walked into our room and pulled off our dresses and donned jeans and t-shirts and sneakers.

We met Mike in Kirova's office along with Rose and Dimitri.

I walked up next to Rose. "Hey."

"Hey," she murmured. "Guess you heard."

"Hard not to," I said. "God, I hope my uncle doesn't find out. He'll kill me if he learns I let a princess get kidnapped under my nose."

Rose chuckled. "We're almost in the same boat."

I nodded and said calmly, "Yeah, almost. I don't have a Russian god wrapped around my little finger."

Rose stared at me. "What?"

"It's time," Dimitri said.

* * *

I rode in the car with Kat, Mike, Rose and Dimitri.

Rose was inside Lissa's head, keeping an eye on where the kidnappers were going. Dimitri was driving, but he kept glancing at her worriedly. I watched her, too, fascinated and envious at how determined she was.

Rose suddenly screamed.

Dimitri and Mike swore and Kat jumped and hit her head on the car roof. I lurched forward and gripped Rose's shoulder.

"They're torturing her!" she gasped, clutching her head.

Dimitri started to pull over.

"Keep going!" I snarled at him. I glanced at Kat and Mike and swallowed. "Rose, give me your hand."

She did. I closed my eyes and gripped her, taking in her- and by extension, Lissa's- pain. I gritted my teeth and whimpered.

Kat touched my shoulder in concern. My nails dug into Rose's skin as I took in the last of the pain then I let go and sagged in the backseat.

"Alyssa?" Dimitri said, his voice strained.

"I'm fine," I sighed. "That was just harder than I thought it would be."

"Thank you," Rose said.

I nodded. "Are we almost there?"

"Nearly."

* * *

Kat and I ran to the cabin, silent as the night around us. Next to us, Mike and Dimitri and the other guardians made their own ways to the cabin. I could see Lissa sleeping on a couch and Victor and his guardians in another room.

Lissa opened her eyes and she saw us. I motioned for her to keep still and not to draw attention.

She nodded and pretended to sleep again.

The guardians bolted inside, taking Victor off-guard. Kat and I sprang over the railing and smashed thru the window to the parlor where Lissa was.

"Thank God, you're here!" she cried, throwing herself into my arms.

"Get her out of here, Kat," I ordered. "Take her back to Rose."

Kat nodded and pulled Lissa with her.

I joined Mike and Dimitri in subduing Victor and his guardians. I pounced on top of Victor, landing on his back like some wild cat. He let out a shout of surprise and collapsed to the floor underneath me.

"Your little scheme is ruined," I hissed in his ear. It was only then that I noticed that he was younger, or looked it at least.

He grinned up at me. "My dear, Alyssa. This is only the beginning."

I never liked the sound of that.

* * *

"Sweetheart, you were badass!"

I rolled my eyes at Mike. "Just how long are you supposed to watch me?"

Mike shrugged. "For as long as the Council wishes it. Who knows, we might become partners for life."

Kat ran up to us from the Academy. "Alyssa, you need to talk to Dimitri."

I groaned. "What'd he do now?"

"He spurned Rose."

"Damnit!" I snarled. "Only D can…" I broke off into low growls as I ran to find Dimitri.

I found him sitting in the gym, reading one of his western novels.

"Are you thick in the head?" I asked him.

He glanced up and sighed. "This really isn't your concern."

"Wrong," I shot back. "You're my friend and so is Rose. You two need to kiss and make up. Literally."

Dimitri stood up, towering over me. "Alyssa, while I appreciate your friendship, you are way too young to lecture me about situations like this."

"D," I started to say, but he held up a hand.

"Besides, Victor's lust charm was the only thing that allowed Rose and I…" he trailed off. "You know."

I threw back my head and let out a growling moan of irritation. "Dimitri, you may be a badass Russian, but you can be so clueless!"

He frowned. "I don't have time for this." He started to walk away.

"Dimitri Belikov," I shouted, my accent becoming pronounced, "don't you walk away from me!"

He didn't stop.

I growled. "Okay, now you've successfully pissed me off." I lunged for him, my feet leaving the ground.

He swung around and backhanded me, smacking me to the ground.

Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! "Ow, my face!"

I clutched my stinging face, tears springing into my eyes.

Dimitri looked startled at what he had done. "Alyssa, I…"

I got to my feet and walked away. "Goodbye, Guardian Belikov."

"Where are you going?" he called.

"I'm going Home," I said, my voice breaking. "And I won't come back."

* * *

"Here," Lissa said. She placed an ice pack on my cheek where Dimitri had given me a bruise.

"Thanks," I mumbled.

"I cannot believe he actually smacked you," Kat said, pacing like a trapped animal. "Do you want me to kick his ass? Cuz, I'll totally kick his ass."

"No," I said, leaning into the couch. "I just wanna go Home."

"You shouldn't let this bother you," Lissa said. "It was an accident."

"No," I said again. "He really did hit me. He wanted to hit me."

"You're sure you don't want me to kick his ass?" Kat asked.

I rolled my eyes, but before I could answer, Mike burst in. "Victor Dashkov's escaping!"

"Shit!" I exploded. "Kat, stay with Lissa!"

Mike and I sprinted out of the dormitories and to where Victor had been stashed.

"On your left!" Mike shouted.

I turned and yelped as Natalie lunged out of nowhere at me. Holy Hera, but she was strong! Why hadn't I seen this before?

"Mike, find Victor!" I yelled.

Natalie snarled and snapped her teeth at my neck. That was when I noticed the red ring around her eyes. She was a Strigoi!

"Hellfire!" I screeched, kicking her off me.

Natalie crouched low and we began to circle each other.

"Okay, love," I said in a calm voice, "let's does this the easy way; I kick your ass and stab you and you don't bite me."

Natalie growled and pounced.

I dodged around her and kicked her throat. Had she been her normal Moroi-self, she'd be dead. But Strigoi were stronger than that. Natalie caught me by the arm and jerked me close.

I screamed as her fangs punctured my skin.

Natalie was ripped off me and I collapsed in a heap. I looked up to see Rose and Mike beating Natalie back.

"Alyssa," Rose called.

I clutched at my throat. "I'll live." I withdrew my hand and it was dark with blood. "Maybe."

Natalie dove at Rose and Mike tackled her, wrestling her down. "Alyssa, help!"

I ripped my sleeve and tied it around my throat to stem the blood flow. I lunged at Natalie and vortexed an ax into my hand. "Move!"

Mike and Rose rolled off Natalie, giving me a clear shot for her neck.

I brought the ax down and a spray of blood peppered us all.

I blew out a breath. "That wasn't so hard." I stumbled and fell to my knees.

Mike bolted to me and held me upright. "Alyssa, stay awake! Stay with me."

"Stop shaking me," I mumbled, groping for my wound. "Ugh, she got me good. Brought down by a vampire. I'll never face the Council after this."

"The guardians are coming," Rose said.

"Help me stand," I said.

Mike looped an arm around my waist and helped me stand. Rose walked behind us, ready to catch me if I fainted.

"Good Heavens!" Alberta gasped, seeing Natalie's decapitated body.

"Yeah, we got her," I said in a weak attempt at my usual cockiness. "Victor's tied back up and, oh yeah, I've been bitten. All in all, it was pretty easy."

"It was," Rose agreed, messaging a bruise on her cheek.

Mike adjusted his hold on me. "Okay, infirmary for these two ladies. Excuse us."

Dimitri extracted himself from the guardians and walked with us to the infirmary. He tried to catch me eye, but I kept my eyes fixed on where I put my feet.

* * *

Kat and Lissa met us in the infirmary. Kat let out a screech of fear when she saw me stained with blood. "Jesus, Alyssa! Say something!"

"You can screech real loud, you know that?" I said.

The matron bustled up and started wiping off the blood on my neck. "You've lost a lot of blood, but you'll live."

"Of course," I said.

"Are you okay?" Lissa asked Rose.

Rose glanced at Dimitri before answering, "Just a few bruises. My first Strigoi fight and it was incredibly easy."

"That's because I did all the work," I retorted with a smile.

* * *

I resisted the urge to scratch my bandage for the umpteenth time today. It was itchy and stung every time I moved my shoulders.

"Bother vampires and everything to do with them," I grumbled.

"Are you leaving?"

I turned to see Dimitri leaning against a tree, his duster flapping in the wind. "I'm waiting for Kat to finish packing. She's a bit of a pack rat so it takes a while."

Dimitri crossed the distance between us and wrapped me up in a hug. "Don't go, Alyssa. Not because of what I've done. I'm sorry I hit you and I'm sorry I've disappointed you."

I hugged him back. "Damnit, I can't stay mad at you, D! Of course I'll stay. One two conditions."

"Here we go," Dimitri sighed, pulling away from me.

"One; you never hit me again."

"I can live with that. Possibly."

"Cute. And two; you make things right with Rose."

Dimitri sighed. "Alyssa that would be breaking the rules."

"So?" I asked. "I break the rules all the time. And you've broken your fair share, too. C'mon, D! You two were made for each other! Screw the rules and shove the age difference!"

Dimitri smiled. "You won't give up, will you?"

"Have you ever known me to just give up?" I asked sweetly.

* * *

**A/N: cuz this was totally awesome.**

**Hasta La Vista from Camp Rock**

**Before He Cheats by Carrie Underwood**


	8. Frostbite

The Jumper

* * *

_ FROSTBITE- _

I was sparring with Rose in the gym. The girl was quick, like me. Well, actually, we were fucking peas in a pod. I sometimes wondered if we were related.

"So you kissed D recently?" I asked, aiming a kick at Rose's waist.

She blocked my attack and spun away. "What's it to you?"

I shrugged and caught her fist. "Just naturally curious. You guys are my favorite couple." I winked slyly at her.

Rose smiled. "Not recently. But we've touched."

"Oooh!" I squealed. "Dish, Hathaway!"

Rose blushed. "It's not that big of a deal. Just holding hands. Hang on, how'd you know about us?"

I laughed. "Dimitri let it slip. He got this hang-dog look and went pale. It was funny."

She eyed me. "Dimitri let a big secret slip out?"

I scoffed. "Please, it's high time he realized that he can't hide anything from me."

After that, I walked Rose outside and we met Dimitri by a car. Rose was on her way for a guardian meeting/test that all novices had to take.

"If it makes you feel any better," I said as she got in the car. "Dimitri almost failed his."

"Alyssa," Dimitri moaned.

I grinned. "Hey, you have five hours to kill. Make it good." I bent down and winked at Rose, adding in an undertone, "I want details when you get back. Sneak something in, eh?"

She blushed and I straightened. "Say hi to Arthur for me, okay?"

Dimitri snorted. "Let's hope he's gotten over you breaking his heart."

"Recall that I broke something else of his," I giggled. "Have fun, you two."

They drove off and I wiggled my fingers.

It was a good day.

* * *

It was a bad day.

Strigoi had attacked the Badicas- one of the twelve Moroi families. And they had attacked the family that Arthur Schoenberg had been protecting. They were all dead. Rose and Dimitri had found the bodies.

When they returned I flung myself into Dimitri's arms. I had to know that he was okay. I inhaled his scent and gripped at his duster coat.

"I'm okay," he murmured in Russian.

"Is it true?" I asked in the same language. "Is Arthur dead?"

He nodded and wrapped his arms around me. "It will be alright, Alyssa. It will be alright."

I really hoped he was right.

* * *

Kat and Lupe- who had showed up a few days ago- hadn't known any of my old friends from St Basil's Academy in Siberia. It was kind of weird knowing that was an adult and I was a thirteen year old girl. For me, it had only been a year.

"It's strange, huh?" Mike asked.

I looked up from my previous Journal. "What is?"

We were sitting in the gym while Dimitri coached Rose on how to stab Strigoi with silver stakes.

"Seeing him as a grown man," Mike reiterated, "while you're still young."

I shrugged. "Yeah, it is. Now he's a grown, badass god- not bad looking, either- and I'm still the child. It's not fair, Mike. He's…different." I was frustrated. "I missed most of his life and he hasn't missed any of mine. It's so…"

"Confusing?"

I let go of the angry breath I had inside of me. "Yeah."

"Alyssa!" Dimitri called. "Come with us. Someone has come to visit."

I smiled at Mike. "But somethings don't really change."

* * *

We hiked up a snowy hill to an old cabin on the edge of a pond. Lissa and her boyfriend Christian were ice skating there with…

"Tasha!" I cried out in delight.

She turned and beamed at me. "Alyssa! I heard you were here!"

"Hang on," Christian said as we hugged. "You know each other?"

"Went to school together," Tasha said. "With Dimka, of course."

Dimitri blushed. "Fun times."

Then I actually saw Tasha's face. "Strigoi," I said flatly.

Tasha touched the scars on the left side of her face. "Yeah. Strigoi."

I swallowed hard and forced a smile back onto my face. "Well, no doubt you showed them up. So what's the occasion for your visit?"

"Christmas, of course," Tasha laughed. "Oh, Alyssa, you haven't changed a bit."

"Considering it's only been a few months," I muttered, suddenly feeling too awkward.

* * *

I didn't wake up in my room.

At first I thought it was another one of Mike's stupid pranks, but then I saw the giant Christmas tree that was overflowing with presents. Presents!

I looked around and saw that Kat and Lupe were sleeping on the other couches in one of the private lounges. I tossed some pillows at them. "Yo! Wake up!"

Kat jerked and gasped. "What the bloody fuck!"

Lupe sprang up from her blankets. "Presents!"

We rolled off the couches and admired the many presents. The lounge doors opened and Dimitri walked in with Rose, Lissa, Christian, Tasha and Mike.

"Merry Christmas!" we said to each other.

"Sit down already!" I said impatiently, pulling Dimitri down next to me. "I'm ready for presents!"

The room was soon full of the sound of ripping paper and delighted calls.

"Oh D!" I squealed, holding up the silver and sapphire necklace. "It's so precious!" I kissed his cheek in gratitude.

"Wow, Tasha!" Rose exclaimed, holding a crimson dress to her body.

All in all, it was the best Christmas ever.

* * *

This was the worst day-after-Christmas ever!

Dimitri had slighted Rose. Again.

I stormed out of the Academy, eyes peeled for a soon to be dead duster-clad back. I found him sitting on a bench under a pine tree..

Dimitri sighed. "You're angry," he said as I walked up.

I shook my head. "No, just irritated. With some exasperation involved. Maybe some anger."

"Alyssa…"

"She loves you," I murmured. "She loves you so much, Dimitri. I know you feel the same for her. Why is it so hard for you to show her?"

Dimitri looked at me with hard eyes. "You are too young to understand."

Oh, that hit close to home.

I straightened up, balling my hands into fists at my sides. "Too young? What the Hell have you been…"

"Tasha wants children," Dimitri said simply.

That caught me off guard and shut me up. My mouth dropped open. I let out a choked sound. "O-Okay? Eh…is she thinking you?"

Dimitri stood up. "I cannot speak to you."

"Ah, come off it!" I protested, stepping in front of him so he couldn't get away. "Dimka, you can't! I love Tasha, too, but…it's not meant to be, dude. You and Rose…"

"Enough," he snapped. "Enough, Alyssa. You know what will happen if Rose and I were together." Even as he said it, his eyes slid out of focus, like he was seeing what would happen if he and Rose were together.

I smirked. "I think we both know what would happen if you two were together. Happiness, love, all those sinfully delicious things…yeah, who needs them?"

Dimitri snapped back to reality. "You are a child, Alyssa. Tasha and I have grown; you have stayed a child. You can never understand."

And he stormed off.

* * *

"Alyssa! Wake up!"

"Huh?" I mumbled, still in a dream about flying to Neverland to see a certain Jason Isaacs look-a-like. "James, is that you?"

Lupe scowled. "Wake up, you idiot! Something's happened."

I rubbed my eyes. "A lot of things happen, Lupe. Why should I care about this?"

"There's been another Strigoi attack."

I shot out of bed and threw on a night robe over my pajamas. We raced down into the commons were half the school sat awake and talking.

I made a bee-line to Mike, who was standing apart from the crowd with his eyes scrunched up. "Mike?"

He opened his eyes. "Can you feel it?"

I cocked my head. "Feel what?"

His face was grim. "Something dark."

I closed my eyes and felt the World. "Yeah…" I murmured. "I feel it, too."

"Jedi, much?" Lupe muttered.

"A rogue?" Mike suggested.

I blanched. Rogue Jumpers…they were the worst of the worst. No one wanted anything to do with them. Not a lot of people wanted to get involved with regular Jumpers, to be honest.

"That would be bad," Lupe gasped. "I mean, rogues could, like, make the Terminator run with his tail tucked between his legs."

"Bad," Mike and I agreed.

"Should we call the Council?" Kat asked, joining us. "I mean, this would be their jurisdiction."

"Do we know which family was attacked?" I asked.

Mike nodded. "The Drozdovs."

My heart sank. I think my knees were shaking. "Dear God, they're going after the royals."

Mike caught my arm to steady me. "Whoa, steady on there, sweetheart."

"It sounds like what a rogue would do," Kat mused. "Get the Strigoi to kill off the Moroi royals."

Lupe smacked her arm. "You are so not being helpful."

"…perhaps the Jumpers have something to say," a voice called out above the din.

We all froze.

"Yes," a male guardian said. "What do the Jumpers have to say about this?"

"Are they staring at us?" I murmured, looking at Mike and not at the crowd.

"Yep," Lupe muttered.

"If we ignore them, will they go away?" Mike asked thru stiff lips.

"Doubtful," Kat sighed.

"What's the matter?" a woman called out. "Too afraid to speak up?"

"Or perhaps this isn't the work of Strigoi!" someone else called out. "Perhaps it's been the Jumpers all along!"

The crowd was suddenly an angry mob.

And Mike and I were cornered beasts. No one insulted a Jumper. No one.

Mike and I whirled onto them, crouching low and our eyes flashing. I bared my teeth and snarled like a tiger.

The room was suddenly very quiet.

"Morons!" I shouted. "You think we are the problem? Are you bloodsuckers so blind that you cannot see the very truth?! You already know who is behind it; the Strigoi!"

Mike stepped forward. "Jumpers have been your friends ever since you came into being. Some of us have even grown up with you and yet you spit and curse us for what we can do."

As one, we stepped forward and our pajamas became something else. I was dressed in a strapless gown of ebony snakeskin and maroon satin. My hair was glossy and pulled into a tight ponytail on the top of my head, accessorized with gold pins.

Mike wore a dark suit that glittered like spilled blood in the light.

And both our eyes reflected our vortexes.

"Never," I growled in a low and dangerous voice, "forget that we can switch sides in a snap of our fingers."

Mike smirked. "Maybe we should leave them to their dying. Break ours ties here and watch them fight the Strigoi."

I sneered. "Moroi are too _soft_ to fight." I caressed the word in my mouth. "They think it is only the dhampirs who can fight. Amusing, since they have magic. Mayhap we could…take those away since we gave the power to them in the first place."

There was a pause, in which no one moved.

Then Mike snorted and went back into his pajamas. "That was a little over the top."

I shrugged and tightened my robe around me. "Yeah, well, shock value and all that. So, have we all learned not to piss off Jumpers?"

No one spoke.

"Good," I sighed. "Now, as Mike and I were saying to each other; there is something about in the World. What it is, we have no idea. Probably a big-ass group of Strigoi."

"In Spokane," Mike said.

"Eh?"

"It's coming from Spokane," he reiterated.

"Ah, yes. Right, thank you. So a big-ass group of Strigoi in Spokane." My gaze fell onto Dimitri. "I'm sure the guardians will want to do something about this. Maybe even some Moroi with spine will help as well."

* * *

My plan had back-fired.

Mason, Eddie and Mia had run off to Spokane to get the Strigoi.

"Oh, for love of fucking God!" I snarled when Rose, Lissa and Christian told me.

Mike bit his lip. "I really think we should tell the Council now."

I sighed. "We were overacting, dude. It has nothing to do with…that." I wasn't about to say the 'R' word in front of Rose or the Moroi.

"I'm going to get them back," Rose said.

"Good luck with that," Kat scoffed. Both Lupe and I punched her arms. "Ow!"

"I'll go, too," I said.

"Me, too," said Christian. "I'm a fire user; I can burn Strigoi if we see any."

I shivered, remembering my first encounter with the evil vampires. "I hope to the gods we don't."

* * *

Rose, Christian and I arrived in Spokane just a little after sunset. Perfect.

"We gotta find them quickly," I muttered.

"That won't be hard," Christian sighed. He pointed across the street to a food court.

"No fucking way," Rose groaned.

Mason, Eddie and Mia sat at a table, looking all sorts of bummed.

I strode over to them. "Having a nice, little trip, guys?"

"Uh oh," Eddie muttered.

"You guys are insane!" Rose hissed. "What were you…" She broke off, looking a little sick.

I felt it, too. "Oh, shit."

Strigoi were staring at us with hungry looks.

"Back to the train station," Rose muttered, reaching into her coat to grip her stake. "Now."

"Let's get the fuck out of here," Christian muttered.

"Too late," I whispered, spinning around. Two more Strigoi were walking towards us.

They were upon us.

* * *

They had shoved us into the back of a warehouse.

There were four of them. And one of them was very hungry for me.

The Strigoi bared his teeth and latched onto my throat.

I groaned as I felt my blood being sucked out of me. Holy Mother of…

The Strigoi pulled away with a squeak. "What is this?" he demanded. "Your blood…agh!"

He exploded.

I'm serious, he freaking _exploded_! Piles of meat flew everywhere.

"Ew!" I shuddered. "Did I do that?"

"I think so," Mia said, turning faintly green.

"I don't think I like that gift," I moaned as blood dripped from my hair. "Oh my _God_! What the _Hell_?!"

Que panic attack! My blood made vampires _explode_?!

"Christian!" Rise shouted. "Now!"

Christian clicked his fingers and flames caught hold to one of the other Strigoi. It was chaos. No one knew what to do.

"The exit!" I shouted at them. "Get to the exit!"

One of the remaining Moroi grabbed hold of Mason…and snapped his neck.

"No!" Rose shrieked.

I stared at Mason's empty eyes. Dead…

Rose knocked me away and ran at the female Strigoi, her stake raised. Her aim was true and the woman collapsed without a sound.

The last Strigoi, the murderer, laughed. "Nothing more to kill me with! Now how shall I finish you two off?"

I realized that the others had left. It was just Rose and me. I shot her a cocky smile. "Ready, twin?"

"Ready," she replied sharply.

We attacked the Strigoi with unimaginable force. His arrogant smile slipped and was replaced with a snarl. "A dhampir and a young Jumper. What a pathetic grouping."

His hand lashed out and hit me squaring the throat. I choked and gagged and collapsed to the ground. Christ, but it felt like my windpipe was broken! He kicked my side I felt a rib break and puncture my lung.

Fuck.

"Rose!" I choked out. Using what energy I had left, I summoned a sword and tossed it to her. The last thing I saw was a head falling.

* * *

Something warm was pressed against my lips. It smelled good, too. I opened my eyes…and found Mike kissing me.

"Ew!" I snapped, jerking upright and wiping my mouth. "What the fuck, man?!"

He looked relieved. "Thank Zeus! I thought you were dead!"

I raised an eyebrow. "So you felt the need to kiss me?"

"It was CPR," he corrected. "But if you want a kiss…"

I held up a fist. "I'll give you something else if you say another word." Then everything came rushing back. "Oh, Jesus. Mason, Rose…Rose! Where's Rose!"

"She's fine," Mike soothed. "She killed the Strigoi."

I let out a sigh of relief. "And the others?"

"Called the guardians as soon as they were out," Mike reported. "When we showed up, you were bleeding from the mouth and Rose was bent over Mason. He's gone."

I swallowed. "I know. Is Dimitri here?"

Mike looked over his shoulder. "Play dead, aye?"

I grinned and collapsed in his arms.

"Belikov!" Mike shouted in a panicked voice.

I heard Dimitri run and skid to his knees next to me. "Alyssa!" he gasped. "Alyssa, no! Don't die, please! I'll do anything!"

I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing.

Dimitri glared at me. "Don't you ever do that again!"

I flung my arms around his neck. "Ya had it coming, Dimka. Admit it!" I turned serious. "Rose?"

"Safe," he replied in a soft voice. He squeezed me to him. "You were right. She was right. I was wrong."

I closed my eyes. "Dimka…we are all wrong about something."

* * *

Kat and Lupe had gone Home with Mike a few days before.

Now it was mine turn.

I walked hand in hand with Dimitri and Rose. "So, do I get to see them or not?"

Rose laughed. "Yeah, okay." She pulled her hair up and showed off the tattoos she had for killing the two Strigoi.

"Badass," I drew out. "Careful, D, or she might just take your throne."

"Or we can share," Rose suggested.

Dimitri smiled down at her. "Perhaps."

I felt my heart soar. "Aw, look at you two! So cute and all lovey-dovey."

Rose snickered and hugged me. "Come visit soon, okay?"

"Whenever possible," I promised.

Dimitri pulled me into his arms. "Be safe, my sister," he murmured in Russian.

"Always, my brother," I replied. "Always."

* * *

**A/N: sry it's a bit late. wacky week**


	9. Dracula

The Jumper

* * *

_ DRACULA-_

* * *

Marcus had taken me to the World of the ingenious mind of Bram Stoker. When we'd gone together, I'd witnessed Prince Vlad and his army's lay waste to entire countries and seen him mourn his beloved wife when she committed suicide. I also remember him becoming the first vampire. Yeesh. That had been a freaky experience!

I landed hard on a rocky path that overlooked a deep canyon. "Holy Hera," I muttered. "That's a long way down."

I got to my feet and looked around. A black horse was watching me warily with a familiar castle behind him. "Travel in style, eh?"

I mounted the horse and galloped to the castle.

* * *

The castle was even more ominous in ruins.

I got off the horse and eyed the humongous doors. I walked up to them and raised a hand to knock. The doors swung open by themselves with an ear-clawing squeak.

"Vlad?" I called. "It's Alyssa. Remember, from the, uh, good old days?"

Silence greeted me.

I stepped inside and the doors swung shut. "Vlad? Dude, I know you're here." I waited then sighed. "You're right behind me, aren't ya?"

I turned and stared up into the aged face of Count Vladimir Dracula. "I've told you how much I hate that."

Vlad laughed. "Alyssa," he said, his voice caressing my name, "it has been too long!"

I cringed away mockingly. "My blood still stinks, FYI."

He chuckled and patted my head. "Ah, my darling girl. It is good that you have come at this time."

That perked my interest. "Really? Why this time? Why not next month?"

He grinned as we walked thru his decaying castle. "I am relocating to London."

"London?" I repeated. "Like merry old England, London? Why?"

"Some change of scenery," he said with a shrug. "And the west, I've heard, needs some…excitement."

I grinned with him. "Nice. I got here just in time, eh? When are we moving?"

"Soon," he promised. "I will be having a guest tonight. A Jonathan Harker will be arriving for dinner."

"My kind of dinner or yours," I checked.

Vlad laughed. "Ah, you know it is improper on the first meeting. However, when he steps into this castle, he will not walk out again."

Yeah, they went for dramatic here.

* * *

I scrunched my hair into curls as I got ready for dinner. I wore a midnight blue gown that befitted the era, accessorized with sapphire jewels and black elbow length gloves. I looked a lot more mature than fourteen.

Outside, I heard wolves howling. I walked over to the window and looked down. A dark coach drove up to the castle and a lone figure stepped out of it.

Jonathan Harker.

"Yuck," I drawled. "Keanu Reeves sucks."** (A/N: it's my opinion! he was terrible in this movie!)**

I walked down to the dining hall, my skirts rustling with each step.

Vlad was watching Harker tuck in. "You must forgive me for not joining you, but I have already eaten and I never drink…wine."

His eyes flicked up to me as I entered and he smiled. "Ah, Alyssa! You look very delectable."

I smiled saucily. "I'm very glad I decided on a choker necklace then."

Harker stood up politely.

"Mr Harker," Vlad began, "this is Lady Alyssa; a…old acquaintance of mine."

Harker kissed my hand. "Delighted to meet you, milady."

"Please, formalities are beneath me," I said flippantly. "Call me Alyssa."

Vlad pulled out a chair for me and I sat. "So the Count tells me he's relocating to London. What do you think of that, Mr Harker?"

Harker cleared his throat as he sat back down. "I think it is a very wise decision. London is a very pleasurable place."

I rested my chin on my fingers. "Yes, indeed. I was born in London, actually. Of course, I was quite small when I left."

"Alyssa and her uncle are travelers," Vlad said. "They roam to every corner of the world. That is how we met and we have been friends ever since."

"What sort of places have you been?" Harker asked.

I laughed. "Oh, so many cities and cultures! I think the only place I haven't visited is Antarctica!"

Vlad and I laughed and Harker smiled indulgently.

* * *

Harker stamped the legal paper. "Congratulations, Count. You are now the owner of Carfax Abbey."

Vlad took the paper and tucked it into his long red robe. "Your firm spoke very highly of you, Mr Harker. They said you were a man of good taste."

I chuckled softly at his hidden meaning and looped an arm thru his. "Now, now Vlad. We mustn't make the good lawyer uncomfortable." I fixed Harker with my smoldering eyes and watched him squirm slightly.

* * *

The next day I walked into Harker's room and leaned against the door frame, watching him shave. I saw myself in his mirror and likened me to a deadly creature that enjoyed observing her prey before eating it. My Jumper heritage was taking over and I loved it.

Then Harker saw me in his mirror and his razor slipped, nicking his lower jaw. He turned to me, pressing two fingers against the cut.

I clicked my tongue and moved toward him. "You must be careful how you cut yourself, Mr Harker. They are…rather uneasy around blood here." I took the razor from him and bent his head back and began to shave him myself. "Ah, a man's vanity. Perhaps you should grow a beard?"

I wiped the blood off the razor onto the sleeve of my violet jacket and then dragged it across his jawline. "Vlad wanted me to tell you that should you ever feel the need to leave your room to be careful. This is a very old castle and some parts are decaying. Be warned."

"I'm sure I understand," Harker said stiffly.

I chuckled softly. "There are many things here; most are memories that the Count finds painful. And some of those memories wish to be seen again."

Harker twisted away from me. "I've seen many strange things already. Bloody wolves chasing me thru some blue inferno!"

As he spoke the wolves called out, filling the castle with their howls. I threw back my head and laughed. "The Children of the Night! What sweet music they make."

"Music?" Harker repeated aghast. "Those animals?!"

I laughed again. "Animals can be the best of friends, Mr Harker. Like me." I fixed him with a gaze that turned cold and pinned him in place. "I can also be a very bad enemy."

I left him, smirking at his expression. God, they were so easy to scare in this day and age!

* * *

The gypsies were getting ready for Vlad's departure, shoveling old dirt into boxes for the journey. I walked down to the catacombs, past the three brides and up to the crate Vlad was sleeping in.

"Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty," I called, knocking on the wood. "We need to talk."

The box opened and Vlad rose out of it. "Alyssa?"

"What are we going to do with the bag of blood upstairs?" I asked. "I warned him not to go poking about, but British guys have a tendency to do the exact opposite of what a woman tells him." **(A/N: no offense meant)**

Vlad chuckled and stroked my cheek with a finger. "Don't worry, sweet one. You and I will soon be gone from this place. Tomorrow."

I sighed and threw up my hands. "Yeah, okay. Whatever makes you happy. I'll go start packing."

He caught my wrist and held it close to his mouth. "Did you cut yourself?"

I looked to see the blood stain from Harker. "Oh. No, Harker was shaving when I checked on him… Vlad?"

His tongue snaked out and licked my sleeve. I felt the vampire thrall beginning to overcome me. My knees went weak and my head filled with a light buzzing. "Vlad," I whispered. "Can you turn the mojo off?"

Like a bucket of ice water had been upturned over me, the thrall went away, leaving me warm and cold at the same time. I shook myself and glared at him, putting my hands on my waist. "Don't do that again."

He shrugged. "Sorry. I can't help it."

I sighed and stalked off. "Freaking vampires."

* * *

I was traveling to London on a ship in a coffin full of decrepit dirt. Cramped very close to Vlad.

"I'm going to kill you," I grimaced as we were rocked back and forth. There was probably a storm raging outside. "Why couldn't I have traveled in my own box? Better question; why am I_ traveling in a_ _box_?"

"Because I value your company," Vlad answered. "And because you do not officially exist in this World. No passports."

I grumbled under my breath. "Well, then, can you move your leg from between my legs. Let's remember that I'm fourteen and I plan on being a virgin for a while longer. Okay?"

Vlad twisted around, removing the offending limb. "This is going to be a long trip, isn't it?"

"Probably," I groaned, suddenly feeling seasick.

* * *

We hit London docks during the night. Seriously, we hit it.

I kicked the box lid off and breathed in fresh air. "Thank the Gods!" My stomach rumbled. "I'm starving! I wonder if McDonalds is around."

Vlad sat up. "I hunger as well." His eyes glowed red.

I waved my hand. "Go ahead. Have at it. I think I'll raid the galley. I could eat sea biscuits. Actually, I could eat a horse."

* * *

I yawned and stretched myself out on a low stone wall. "I'm telling you, Vlad; this place needs a woman's touch."

Carfax Abbey was a dump! Vlad had so been cheated.

"It is perfect for my uses," Vlad said from inside his box.

I rolled my eyes. "Okay. How was your dinner?"

"Very filling." I could hear the smugness in his voice. "I think you might be pleased with the result."

He burst from the box and I fell off the wall in amazement. He was young again! Like, younger than when I had first met him.

"Whoa," I choked out, adverting my eyes. "Um, dude, get some pants on."

* * *

Somewhere- I had no idea where or when- Vlad had bought us nicely cut outfits. His was a dove grey suit with a matching top hat and a blue vest. I wore a dress of pale blue cotton stitched with silver birds and a jacket that matched Vlad's suit.

"We look like brother and sister," I muttered to him as we walked thru the streets of London.

"Yet we do not sound alike," Vlad whispered.

"How's this?" I asked, switching into a Transylvanian accent.

"Believable."

He stopped suddenly and looked across the street. I followed his gaze. "What? Vlad, what are you…oh!"

This was Mina and…she looked incredibly like Vlad's dead wife.

"See me," Vlad breathed. "See me now."

Mina turned and saw us staring. She looked away shyly.

I sighed and fanned myself. "Total plot twist, eh Vlad? Vlad?"

He wasn't by my side anymore; he was across the street talking to Mina.

"Bugger," I muttered, but watched the scene unfold.

Vlad tried to work his charm, but Mina had a strong will. The poor guy actually looked to me for help, but I egged him on.

Soon, Mina became slightly enthralled. That was when I butted in.

"Vlad," I said in a teasing voice, "you should not leave your poor sister alone in these strange streets." I swatted his arm playfully with my fan.

"Madam Mina," Vlad introduced, "allow me to present my little sister; Alyssa. Sister, this is Mina Murray."

We curtsied to each other. "An honor to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine," I said. I turned to Vlad. "I'm afraid I can't find where the cinematograph is being held."

Vlad caught my meaning. "Perhaps, Madam Mina, you could direct us. We hear it is a wonder of the modern world."

Mina smiled shyly. "This way."

* * *

Vlad was out every day with Mina. It wasn't every hour. But whenever he was with her, I was at her friend Lucy's house. Lucy had been the one Vlad had drank from on our arrival here.

I was there when Van Helsing arrived.

Mina and I were in the courtyard that led up to Lucy's bedroom. She had received word about Harker. Somehow he had escaped Vlad's wives and to a convent.

I hid my scowl with difficulty. I was really starting to hate that guy.

"I must tell Lucy," Mina murmured and started off.

I followed her at a slower pace. "You intend to go off and leave my brother behind?" I asked in my Transylvanian accent.

Mina froze but did not turn. "I love Jonathan. He will not know of us." She started back to Lucy.

I frowned, but followed up the steps. That was when Van Helsing showed up.

"You are Madame Mina, dear friend to our Lucy, _ja_?"

"How is she?" I asked.

"Still very weak," he replied. "She tells me of your beloved Mr Harker." His words became sharp. "There are darkness's in life, my child. You are one of the lights, dear Mina." He sniffed the air.

Mina cringed away from him and ducked into Lucy's room.

I smirked. "Professor Van Helsing, it is a great honor. My people tell many stories of you."

Van Helsing looked pleased. "You are from Transylvania? I remember Transylvania. Good place; nice people."

"When we're not being eaten," I joked. "I worry for Miss Lucy. She carries all the signs of victim." I leaned closer to him. "Any help I can be, professor. My people have suffered greatly."

Playing both parties; best part of the job.

* * *

Vlad turned Lucy that very night. Mina had left for Romania and sent him a letter telling him that they would never see each other again.

In the morning, I dressed in black for the funeral.

"You could've left less of a mess, ya know," I complained to Vlad as I pinned up my hair. "There was blood everywhere."

"The Change," Vlad whispered, walking up behind me and zipping up the back of my dress. "Is a very messy process. Besides, I was…angry."

I turned around and kissed his cheek. "You will find her again, Vlad. Never doubt that."

* * *

Van Helsing caught my arm after the funeral. "I have need of your services tonight," he said.

I perked up. "Really? You believe she is Nosferatu as well?"

"_Ja_. It is extremely possible."

I met him, Quincy, Jack and Arthur outside Lucy's tomb at night. We walked down into the crypt and opened her coffin.

It was empty.

"God save us," Van Helsing murmured.

"The Devil walks among us," I whispered chillingly. It was a little dramatic, but what the Hell.

The door upstairs opened and we hid.

Dressed in virgin white, Lucy walked down the stairs carrying a wailing child.

"Oh that is crossing a line," I growled. "Adults are one thing, but little kids?" I walked out of the shadows. "Hey, bitch! Put the kid down."

Lucy turned and hissed, dropping the child to the floor. Jack scampered forward and picked her up, shushing her and bobbing her up and down.

Van Helsing whipped out a cross and pointed it at Lucy, who hissed again and went back to sleep in her coffin. "We're strong in the Lord and the power of His might! We're strong in the Lord and in the power of His might! Alyssa, say the incantation."

I cleared my throat and began to chant something in Latin. It was supposed to exorcise or whatever.

Lucy hauled up and vomited blood in my face.

There are no words to describe how disgusting it was.

* * *

I walked into the abbey, still wiping the blood off me. "I am so not vampire slayer material."

Vlad looked up from taking his coat off and his eyes widened. "What in Hades were you doing?!"

I looked in my mirror and blanched. "Ew! It's in my hair! Again."

Vlad growled. "Harker has returned. We must away home."

I grimaced. "Can I not stay in a box this time?"

Vlad smirked. "So long as you clean up and see that the boxes are sent to the ship."

"What ship and where is the damn thing?"

* * *

One of the dockworkers dropped a box and it nearly busted open.

"Oi!" I shouted. "Careful with that, you lard!"

"Aye, miss," he grumbled. "Sorry, miss."

I turned away and growled. I was on edge. Vlad was taking too long and I was starting to worry. My coat wasn't going to last much longer to my wringing hands.

Then suddenly his was by my side.

"Jesus fuck!" I yelped. "Vlad, don't do that!"

He patted my shoulder. "We must away, Alyssa. We must hurry."

"Why?" I asked. "Vlad, what's happened?"

He winced and bowed over in pain and would've fallen had I not caught him. "My powers…are draining."

I gritted my teeth. "Hold on, mate. We'll get you home soon enough."

* * *

Vlad's gypsies picked us up at the seaport in Varna. Vlad stayed in his coffin while I rode on top of it in the wagon the gypsies drove.

We were nearly to the castle when the first two shots were fired at us.

I ducked low in the wagon. "Fucking Hell! Drive faster, you ninnies!"

"What is it?" Vlad called sharply.

I pulled out my gun and loaded it. "Harker and his pals," I snarled.

I really did hate that guy.

Then I felt a cold chill and my sense went on high alert. I looked up at the sky as it darkened. It wasn't a natural occurrence, those clouds. They were conjured.

I rapped on Vlad's box. "Your girlfriends' a sure help, mate!"

A bullet narrowly missed my head. I yelped and ducked down to finish reloading. I popped back up with a snarl and shot at the men tailing us. My shot hit Harker's horse and he went tumbling.

The next shot came from Quincy and it hit me in the shoulder.

"Argh!" I screamed, clutching at the wound.

"Alyssa!" Vlad hissed.

"I'm okay," I spat out. I looked ahead and let out a sigh of relief. "We're almost there, buddy. Hold on."

The castle loomed closer and closer. I could see Mina and Van Helsing standing at the gates. Then we were passing under the gates and we were safe.

I knocked on the coffin again. "Home sweet home, Vlad."

Harker and his force came bursting thru the gates after us.

"Shit!" I growled. "Get them!" I shouted at the gypsies.

A team of men charged the coffin. I shot them all down, not giving a shit if they were one of the important guys.

"Anytime now, Vlad!" I shouted at him.

Harker came at me with a sword.

I pulled the trigger…and it clicked. I was out of bullets. I ducked his sword swipe- where in the Hell did he learn to fight?!- and the move caused me to twist off the wagon and fall onto my back with a groan.

My shoulder burned and my blood peppered the snow. "Alright. Pissed off, I am!"

The sun sank below the horizon and Vlad exploded from the coffin. Harker swung and sliced his throat.

"No!" I gasped.

Vlad was okay, but his blood gushed from his throat. He yowled and shoved Harker away.

I jerked to my feet with difficulty and picked up Harker's fallen sword with my non-injured arm. I cut down a gypsy that was in my way and moved to Vlad.

Quincy beat me to him.

He stabbed Dracula thru the heart.

"No!" Mina screamed.

"Vlad!" I yelled. I hauled up and sliced into Quincy's back.

Both Mina and I took up defensive positions around Vlad, she brandishing a shotgun while I held the sword.

I bent down and put Vlad's arm around my neck, half supporting him, half carrying him on my injured shoulder. The pressure would help. "C'mon, Vlad. Let's get you all patched up."

We backed up into the castle, into the cathedral. The men didn't follow us.

I set Vlad down on the steps to the alter and braced myself against one of the pillars, panting and sweating.

Mina wept over Vlad- who still had the bowie knife stuck in him.

"Where is my god?" he rasped. "He has forsaken me!"

"No," Mina sobbed. "My love." She kissed him. "My love."

What happened next, I will never fully understand.

A light shone thru the window and beat down on Vlad's face, changing him from the decrepit old man to the handsome prince.

"Alyssa," he coughed.

"I'm here," I said, kneeling next to him. "I'm here, Vlad. By your side, like always."

He brushed a hand across my brow. "Peace be with you…my friend."

He looked to Mina and rasped, "Give me peace…Mina."

She closed her eyes and, with a cry, pushed the knife in deeper until in the hit the steps of the alter.

I looked away, unable to watch the life fade from his eyes.

Deep inside me, I felt the World changing. Shifting.

I didn't like it. I had to get out of there.

I dropped the sword and walked away from Vlad and Mina. I called my vortex and I never went back.

* * *

**A/N: aw sad face, Alyssa!**

**yes, Jumpers are quite mentally unstable. but that's what makes them so fun to write!**


	10. Addiction

The Jumper

* * *

_ ADDICTION-_

* * *

Kat, Lupe and I hit the stone floor. Hard. All the air whooshed out of me. "Ugh!" Oh, boy.

"Yeah, that hurt," moaned Kat.

Lupe rubbed her head. "Ouch. Ah, nice landing, Alyssa."

I raised my head and said in a hoarse voice "You're welcome."

"Alyssa," said a voice above me. "Nice of you to _drop_ in."

I craned my neck and saw Aro standing over me. "Cute," I groaned. He took my arm and pulled me to my feet. "Ow! Gently, gently! Stone hurts."

I rubbed my stomach, hoping I didn't hurl in front of the cold-blooded vampires. "Ugh, I thought I had all this down. I did it in _Vampire Academy_. Anywho... Kat, Lupe, this is Aro, Marcus and Caius. Gents, Kat and Lupe, my two best- and only- friends from my World."

Kat and Lupe smiled. "Hello. Nice to meet you."

"And Felix, Dimitri, Jane and Alec," I added, waving at the guard. "And no, Jane isn't sadistic like James was. She's actually pretty awesome and so is Caius."

Kat and Lupe look relieved. "Uh, okay. Sweet."

"Thanks so much," muttered Caius, drifting forward to stand by me. "Why are you here?"

I tried to look innocent. "Do I have to have a reason to visit my favorite group of vampires in existence. Or this World."

"Yes," growled Caius.

"Let her be, brother," murmured Marcus. "She does feel for us."

I flinched. "I thought you could feel my relationships."

Marcus placed a comforting hand on my back. "I can't feel your uncle's mind and he was blocking you that time we met."

"Oh," I said. "Why? Did he think my feelings were too embarrassing for him, the great Jumper Marcus?"

"Marcus cares about you, Alyssa," said Kat, frowning. "He's the leader of you Jumpers', remember? He can't-"

"Be bothered with his only brothers' only daughter because-" I stopped, clenching my fists into tight balls. "Forget it. Anywho, said uncle said you guys were having some trouble with a neighbor, or something."

"As a matter of fact," said Aro. "We are. We sent Heidi and Chelsea as lookouts. They should be back soon."

"Hold up," said Kat. "Alyssa, could we..."

I nodded and the three of us retreated back a ways. "What?"

"They're vampires," hissed Kat.

"Your point being?"

"Have you forgotten what happened last month?"

I thought and sniggered. "Oh, come on! These guys have nothing on Dracula! Honestly, there's nothing to fear here."

"Except for getting our blood drained," whispered Lupe.

I slapped a hand to my forehead. "Ugh! Okay, seriously, that's not a problem. Our blood has no fascination with them. I'll demonstrate if you don't believe me."

Lupe shook her head. "No, no! I believe you."

"But why should we help them?" asked Kat.

"Because you wanted to see how cute Dimitri was," I shot back. "And Marcus will kill us if we don't do what we came here to do. If you wanna go back, I'll-"

Kat hissed quietly. "Okay, before they hear!"

I looked at her pityingly. "Kat, they _can_ hear us." I cleared my throat and said in the same quiet voice, "Jane, you're awesome."

"Thank you, Alyssa," said the young girl ten yards away.

Kat and Lupe paled. "Oooh."

"Yeah," I said. "I bet Dimitri loved that."

Kat slapped her hand to her face and groaned.

* * *

Okay, soon was, in fact, four hours. Stupid, bloody vampire clocks. Seriously, I have no idea how immortals keep themselves busy all the time without sleeping. It's a bloody, freaking miracle, is what it is! Anywho...

When they did get back, Heidi and Chelsea came back with some insiders news.

"Thadeus is guarded by a bunch of humans," said Heidi. "I could hardly smell them, thou. It stank like alcohol and drugs."

"Brilliant," muttered Caius. "Drunk, loaded humans. Wonderful."

"There are also four other vampires," added Chelsea. "From what we saw, only one of them is gifted, but all he can do is turn into a raven."

"Hmm," said Aro. "We might still invite him to join."

"_Quoth the raven, 'Nevermore'_," I muttered and the vampires stared at me, puzzled. "What? I can't be literate?"

Caius shook his head. "And these three are supposed to help us?"

"Hey, we take the drugies, you take the other vamps," I said. "Simple as that, right?"

"Not if the raven isn't the only gifted one there," said Marcus.

"How long did you stake out?" I asked Heidi.

"Ten hours."

I turned back to the Ancients. "If in ten hours, all they saw was a pigeon and a bunch of loaded drugies, then we can safely assume that's all there is."

"And that's your expert opinion?" said Felix.

I gestured to myself. "I'm still here, ain't I? Okay, my plan involves a little bit of human force. For the drugies at least."

"What sort of force did you have in mind?" asked Aro.

I glanced at Kat and Lupe, who smiled and nodded. "Something that goes bang."

* * *

"Was it necessary for them to kill the cops?" asked Kat as she pulled her red hair into a tight ponytail.

I zipped up my leather pants and buckled the belt. "Hey, you gotta live with who and what you got. At least they didn't give us the uniforms."

Lupe checked our hand guns. "Full. Just out of curiosity, how exactly are we supposed to hit a bunch of drugies with just hand guns?"

I shrugged as I picked up my black vest. "Dunno. Jane said she'd help us out, but that's really all she said."

"I meant I'd get you more force."

We looked around and saw Jane and Dimitri standing in the door frame, holding ear pieces, grenade belts, shotguns, extra pistols and flame-throwers. Three of each.

"Damn," I said, peering at the grenades. "I've always wanted to try these while storming a house."

"Aro said we're leaving soon," said Dimitri, setting his load down. "Caius said to hurry up."

Kat tried her flame-thrower on the marble wall. "Whoa! Oh, this is most excellent!"

I rolled my eyes. "Right, we're coming."

Jane and Dimitri left and we strapped on the new gear.

* * *

"I feel like James Bond," said Kat as we walked out to where the vampire stood waiting.

"Nah, Bond wears a suit," I said. "And he's a guy. More like Charlie's Angles, really."

"Just as long as I'm not Drew Barrymore," muttered Lupe. "I hate her."

"Who doesn't?" I asked.

Aro, Marcus and Caius turned and their eyes- even Marcus'- widened.

"What?" I asked.

"Are you seriously going like that?" asked Caius, pointing at our leather pants and vest tops.

"Yeah. So?"

"Humans," hissed Caius, turning away.

"You look lovely," assured Aro.

"I was thinking more of dangerous," said Marcus.

I grinned. "Don't we have a vampire to capture?"

"Yes, we do," said Aro. "I'm afraid you three will have to be carried."

Felix, Dimitri and Heidi stepped forward. Lupe climbed onto Heidi's back, her eyes betraying her apprehension, while Dimitri picked up Kat, who let out a poorly stifled giggle. Felix held out his arms and I let him pick my up in a baby hold.

"I could get used to this," said Kat, breathlessly.

"Oh sure," grunted Lupe. "Lucky Miss Irish gets the cute tracker."

"Can it," I snapped. "Keep your-yiipe!"

The vampires began to run, leaving my stomach and brain behind. I shut my eyes and cringed into Felix's chest. Then it was over.

We'd stopped in a thicket of oak trees, just a little ways away from a petite mansion. Lupe dropped from Heidi's back and landed on her butt next to Kat, who was clutching her head and moaning, "Oooh, tell me when the earthquake stops."

"Are you okay?" asked Felix.

I did a mental check. "Ugh, put me down before I ruin your upholstery, you big gorilla."

Felix set me down and I stumble a little. "No, I'm fine. I brought a pick-me-up just in case." I reached into my bag and pulled out a small flask. I took a swig and the whiskey burned away all my sickness. I passed it to Kat and Lupe, who were likewise revived. "Right. So, how do we proceed?"

Caius pointed at the mansion with a claw-like finger. "Thadeus is in there, to be sure. Plus those four other vampires and thirty humans."

"Thirty, eh?" said Kat. "Huh, ten each."

"We'll send you three in first," finished Caius.

"Wh-what?" I stammered. "Well, yeah, sure, why not. We're expendable."

"You're the 'professionals' here," growled Caius.

"You've been doing this kind of thing for centuries!" I protested.

Aro placed a hand on each of our shoulders. "Peace, dear ones. Caius, it is too dangerous for them to go ahead alone first. But you, Alyssa, also said that you three were capable."

"Yes," I agreed. "But not alone. Okay, hold up. Brainwave." I thought short, but hard and a strategy formed. "Hmm. Okay, fine, we'll go in first. But you lot better be ready to come to our aid. If history is anything to rely on, I'll bet anything the humans have guns of their own."

"History?" repeated Jane.

"You don't wanna know," assured Kat. "Trust me."

"You'll need to signal us when you need our help," said Aro.

I pumped my shotgun impressively. "How about when you hear gunshots?"

* * *

Kat, Lupe and I crept stealth-like to the mansion. We split up, Kat going right, Lupe left, while I stayed straight and we scaled the brick wall. That was the easy part.

When we dropped down to the ground, the first thing I noticed was the lawn lasers. I buzzed the other two. "Don't move!" I hissed. "There're lasers."

"What do we do?" asked Kat.

I looked up and saw the front door just eight feet away. "Won't they have to disable them to get out here?"

"Most likely," replied Lupe. "Why would they come out here, thou?"

I sucked in a lungful of breath and let it out in a blood-curdling screech. It hurt even my ears. The lasers disappeared and the front door opened and three humans stumbled out.

"Now!" I shouted and ran at them, drawing my pistol and shooting the middle human in the arm. Kat and Lupe jumped out from either side of me and made it to the door just as another drugie started to close it.

I took down the last drugies and then rammed the door open. There were seventeen drugies here. They crouched behind tables littered with weed, Viagra, nicotine, cocaine and marijuana. Ew.

"Shit, you guys need help," I muttered, pointing my pistol at everyone in turn. "Didn't your mothers' ever tell you 'don't do drugs'?"

"Screw you, bitch!" bellowed one of them. He took out a shotgun and shot at us, but missed and hit the wall. Kat, Lupe and I squeezed off four bullets each before the bad vampires arrived.

"Holy fuck!" shrieked Lupe. Yeah, these guys were so scary, they made dear, sweet Guadalupe Perez swear.

"Guys!" I screamed, my pulse quickening. "Get your pale, blood-sucking asses in here!"

A female vampire raised her fist to pound my skull in. I flinched, then the vampire screamed as Jane entered, staring fixedly at the other vampire. The vampire hit a table and sent cocaine flying all over me.

It was the smell that made me remember.

All those agonizing days in rehab.

I panicked and dropped my gun.

I had to get to a bathroom.

I had to wash it all off.

Had to get it off!

It all had to come off!

I started to crawl to the left staircase, ignoring the screams and yells in the front room. It had to come off!

"Off," I croaked. "Get off. Wash it off."

I couldn't go back.

I couldn't go back to it all!

"Off! Get it off me!"

I found a bathroom in the first door I tried. I pushed opened the door and stumbled inside. Just like last time, I could hardly see what was happening.

I could hear that the agonizing screams were gone, but someone was screaming. Or was it calling? My name?

Or was I going like I had before...before...

"Monsters," I gasped, inhaling the dust and choking on it. "Demons. Leave..."

I unhooked my grenade belt and tossed it on the floor.

"Alyssa?" Was that Aro?

"Gotta get it off," I muttered. "Can't go back." I pulled off my vest, leaving me only in my pants and bra.

I didn't care. "Get it off! I can't go back!"

Strong, cold, hard arms wrapped around my torso and lifted me into the bathtub. I fumbled with the knobs until they turned the right way and scalding water fell onto my skin.

Yes, hot would kill it.

"Must come off," I muttered. "Get off!"

I unbound my hair from its' bun and ran my hands thru it.

It would settle in there. Settle and never come out!

It would burn!

Aro was in the tub behind me, holding my waist.

"It's bad," I gasped. "It burns. No. No, go away! Monsters! Can't see!"

"I'm here Alyssa. We're all here."

"Evil. Can't...go back..."

"You won't. You won't go back."

"Kenny...poor Kenny. Don't wanna..."

"What's wrong?"

"What happened?"

"Oh, God! Alyssa!"

"Aro, what happened?"

I kept my eyes tight shut as I flailed about to get away from the water. It was gone. It was all gone. "Safe."

Aro lifted me into his arms and carried me out into the hall. "Alyssa? Can you look at me?"

I shook my head. "Demons. Can't go back...Kenny..."

"Who's Kenny?"

"Oh my God! Her addiction! But, Marcus said it wouldn't matter in Other Worlds!"

"Alyssa, it's alright. I'm here. Don't worry."

I finally opened my eyes. I was laying on the floor in Aro's arms, the others bending over us, their faces foggy. "The...the d-drugs. Only...Other. Can't go back..." And everything went dark.

* * *

I sat alone in the Feeding Room, my head in my hands. I wore a light blue sweater that was two sizes too big in the sleeves, dark loafers and light brown jeans. My light brown hair was pulled back into a braid that fell to the middle of my back.

Jesus, what had happened yesturday? Stupid question. I'd revisited my dark past, is what had happened. I'd been so cocky, then brought down to such a low level that I despised myself.

I'd babbled on about monsters and demons and I felt so shitty.

"Your uncle is here."

I looked up to see Aro standing by his throne, his pale expression soft and tender.

I turned away quickly to hide my red-rimmed eyes. "Thanks." I ran my sweater sleeve over my eyes, but I couldn't stop the flow of tears.

Damnit! Not in front of the vampire!

Aro sat down next to me- a movement that surprised me- and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Alyssa, we don't have to talk about what happened. No one has to talk to you about it. I can forget it."

"Bully for you," I mumbled. "You're not the one who got wasted every fucking day after your parents died. I'm the one who chose to screw up even my Jumper life. Christ, Marcus is gonna kill me!" I buried my head in my arms again.

"Your friends said that you would only be affected by drugs from your own World," said Aro. "That means someone knew you would be there and planted the drugs so as to get you out of the way."

I looked at him. "Why would someone do that?"

Aro shrugged. "It's your World, my dear, not mine." He flashed me a dazzling smile.

"Did you ever catch your guy?"

"Yes. We dealt with Thadeus and his followers accordingly. We burned the mansion right after we left. You might not remember, you were saying 'Kenny' over and over."

His unspoken question burned in the air between us.

I stared at the opposite wall. "Kenny was my boyfriend during that...during that time. Our friend, Eddie, showed up one day with a bunch of cocaine and we all tried it. I remember the way it tasted that first time. It burned our throats, but we began to love it. Then someone saw us and the cops showed up. Eddie put up a fight, pulling out a pocket knife and they killed him and took Kenny and me away. We both went to rehab together."

I was silent.

It was too horrible to finish.

I could see it all playing out, like a movie.

A horror movie.

My own personal horror movie.

"What happened?" asked Aro.

I took a deep, shuddering breath. "I was the only one to leave rehab alive."

Aro rubbed my back. "I'm sorry, my dear. If there's anything you need..."

I attempted to smile, then something snapped and I was suddenly crying hysterically into the Ancients' shoulder. Once I started, it was difficult to stop. Aro held me close and murmured comforting words until I was done.

I sniffed and dried my eyes on my sleeves again. "Marcus will be wondering what's taking so long."

Aro smiled, stood up and extended his hand. I hesitated, then took it and Aro helped me to my feet, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

We walked slowly to the front lobby where Marcus, Kat, Lupe and the other Volturi stood. My uncle's face was set in stone as Caius told him what had taken place the previous night.

Aro cleared his throat and everyone turned towards us. Marcus stared at me with expressionless eyes. Then he raised his arms awkwardly. I pulled away from Aro and stumbled into my uncle's arms. I didn't cry, but I shook uncontrollably.

"There now," muttered Marcus, patting my head. "It's all right. It's all over." He glanced up at the vampires. "Thank you for looking after her."

"It was our pleasure," assured Aro.

"Indeed," agreed Caius, surprising everyone.

* * *

I sat on my bed, two tubes stuck in my arms; one to pump out the rest of the drugs and the other to pump nutrients into my body. I was reading a Record of _Treasure Island_, a fluffy blanket pulled over my lower half.

There was a knock at my door. "Come in."

It was Marcus.

"What did you find?" I asked, tossing the Record aside.

My uncle took a seat on the blue velvet settee. "Nothing. Not even ash."

"What?"

"The entire area was blank," Marcus growled. "Not a smudge of ash was to be found. What remained of the house is gone."

"That's impossible, even for us," I said.

"Yes," was the only thing he said.

I narrowed my eyes dangerously. "Who did this to me?" My voice was shaking with poorly disguised rage.

Marcus's brown eyes narrowed, too. "I don't know. But I think we will find out. Someday."

* * *

**A/N: this is not a filler chapter! this is important shit!**

**how'd ya'll like the Alyssa-freak-out part? i'm quite proud of that.**


	11. The Merchant of Death

The Jumper

* * *

_THE MERCHANT OF DEATH-_

* * *

I've always loved the Pendragon series. So you can imagine my reaction when my uncle Marcus told me that I was going there. Yippee!

Yeah, I almost went into a touchdown dance.

Kat and Lupe were less than thrilled.

"Isn't that the World with the shape-shifting demon villain?" asked Kat. "What's his name? Saint Dane?"

"That's the guy!" I crowed. "I've always wanted to meet that guy. Oh, then again, we'd be on separate sides and he'd probably try to kill us."

"What else is new?" Lupe asked sarcastically.

Marcus glared at me. "This isn't a game, Alyssa. You can die just as easily as anyone else in the Worlds. I suppose you've already forgotten about your little trip to Volterra?"

Ouch! I felt that!

But Grumpy Marcus had a point.

Bastard.

"Alyssa," continued Marcus, "you'll go to Denduron and then Kat and Lupe will meet up with you."

Yeah, that was fine with me.

* * *

Okay, so I've never really understood how freaky the bear-quigs were until I was running from them. Shudder-ific, dude!

I was running- and falling- down the snowy mountain, screaming at the top of my lungs, when one of the quigs suddenly tripped and fell tumbling past me. Huh?

Then I saw the Bedoowan soldiers riding towards me. I made a course correction towards them, ignoring the major stitches in my sides. The other quigs had run back up the slope.

I slowed to a stop and collapsed in the snow, clutching my sides. "Th-th-thanks…guys. That…was great timing!"

"Are you alright?" one of the soldiers asked, dismounting his horse and kneeling next to me.

"I…think so. Just a little rattled."

"We will assist you," the soldier said. He scooped me into his arms and put me onto his horse.

"Thanks buddy," I said.

* * *

The Bedoowan castle was unbelievably awesome! I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing.

"Ya'll live pretty comfortably," I pointed out.

The soldiers laughed.

Then we met a guy who totally made me stop breathing- figuratively speaking, of course. He was Mallos on Denduron, but his real name was Saint Dane.

"And who do we have here?" he asked in his smug voice.

Why was I melting into that voice?

"We rescued her from the bears," replied one of the soldiers. "She says she was part of a convoy attacked by them."

Mallos smiled at me. "Really? Hmm, it is just as well that these men were there to save you, madam."

"Please," I said. "Call me Alyssa."

Mallos smiled wider and he kissed my hand. "Permit me to escort you to Queen Kagan."

Kagan; the fat lady in charge.

I let Mallos take me towards the bigger chambers.

"I suppose Press sent you to stop me," he said once we were out of earshot of anyone.

I smiled pleasantly. "No, not to stop you, but I am here to observe what you do. And what Bobby does."

Mallos chuckled. Cue goose bumps. "Then you must be from that fool Marcus' territory. Very well, I suppose I can let you live for a while longer."

"I'd appreciate that, Saint Dane," I said.

I couldn't believe it; I was _flirting _with the guy! Maybe I _was_ unstable.

Mallos opened a door and I almost groaned. Dude had taken me to Kagan and the bitch was huge!

Mallos bowed to Kagan. "Most wondrous queen, allow me to introduce the niece of a very dear friend of mine, Alyssa."

I curtsied. "You're Majesty. I am much honored to meet to you."

Kagan looked at me over a turkey leg. "I know. You are a friend of Mallos?"

I glanced at the dude. "We've known each other for years."

"Are you two betrothed?"

Whoa, what?! Is that what we looked like? I was fourteen for crying out loud! I glanced at Mallos, who was…_blushing_?! Cool.

"We are just friends," I said pleasantly, but it was thru clenched teeth.

Kagan gnawed on the leg. "What is it that makes you so special?"

I had to think about this, but it wasn't for long. "I'm a troubadour, majesty. I have two friends that might join me here, in your beloved city, and might perform for your greatness."

Kagan grinned like a happy little kid. "Then let us hope that your friends will arrive soon." She suddenly squinted at me. "Unless you can perform now?"

I shrugged. "Well, you give me short notice, but…perhaps."

* * *

Thanking God Kat and Lupe arrived before dinner time, because I had nothing to give Kagan.

Kat, Lupe and I were dressing in leotards and collars with little bells on the end of the tassels, when Mallos came in.

"I hope you three have settled in," he said, grinning.

I smiled back, wishing inwardly that the leotard I was wearing wasn't so form-fitting. "Thank you. These rooms are very spacious."

"I just came to tell you that Kagan is growing impatient."

"Tell her Royal Chubbiness we're coming and get her a turkey leg," I shot back.

Mallos laughed and left.

"The guy's cute," Lupe said.

I smiled slyly. "The guy's Saint Dane."

Lupe toppled over in astonishment.

* * *

Kat and Lupe jumped in the circle, somersaulting and cart wheeling in the air. I did a hand-spring and we landed in front of Kagan.

"Travelers come far and wide," I exclaimed, "to see the powerful and mighty Kagan!" I knelt before her and Kat and Lupe did the same. "What is it you wish to see, majesty?"

Kagan thought about it. "I want to see dancing and singing, too!"

I glanced back at Kat and Lupe. "Very well, you're Highness." I got up and led Kat and Lupe to a corner. "Okay, any ideas to impress Madam Gordo, over there?"

"I say Step Up," said Kat.

"Mm, Getcha Head in the Game," I suggested.

"What It Takes," said Lupe. We decided on that.

"_Who's got what it takes to be my guy?_" sang Kat, turning around and dancing around. "_What it takes to make me shine? What it takes to get me fired up?_"

"_Who's got what it takes to be my beau?_" I sang, following her. "_What it takes to make me glow? What it takes to make this beat flow?"_

"_Everybody talks about what they think they need,"_ sang Lupe, walking between us. "_They're makin' up a list of things. One, two, three."_

"_Everyone is different, but where we can agree,"_ we all sang.

"_Every girl needs a guy to treat her sweet."_

"_Who's got what it takes to be my guy?" _I sang. "_What it takes to make me shine? What it takes get me fired up?"_

"_Who's got what it takes to be my beau?" _sang Lupe. "_What it takes to make me glow? What it takes to make this beat flow?"_

"_Don't think that being mean will get you anywhere," _sang Kat. "_Don't think that acting cool will make me want to care."_

"_I need your respect if you're gonna be the one."_

"_And if you must apply then try and get the job done."_

"_Who's got what it takes to be my guy?" _sang Lupe. "_What it takes to make me shine? What it takes to get me fired up?"_

"_Who's got what it takes to be my beau?"_ Kat sang. "_What it takes to make me glow? What it takes to make this beat flow?"_

"_I've been contemplating what it takes,"_ I sang, walking around Mallos, "_to make me give my heart. Could you be the one standing in the crowd? I'm waiting to find out. I'm waiting, waiting, waiting, oh!"_

"_Who's got what it takes to be my guy? What it takes to make me shine? What it takes to get me fired up? Who's got what it takes to be my beau? What it takes to make me glow? What it takes to make this beat flow?"_

Kagan and the Bedoowan clapped and cheered.

"More!" demanded Kagan, "more dancing!"

"Okay," whispered Kat. "Start the Party."

"I'll lead," said Lupe. Fine by me.

I smiled and twisted around. "_Yeah!"_

"_First stop, hit the groove,"_ sang Lupe, moving into a techno dance. _"Let the music play."_

"_Next stop, everybody," _sang Kat. "_It's time to celebrate!"_

"_Here we go," _I sang, "_so let your flow show, make the dreams you got become real. Let's do this, let me hear you now, show me how you feel!"_

"_Let's start, start, start the party! C'mon, c'mon everyone, let's start, start, start the party, whatcha waitin' for now? Start the- start the- start the party! C'mon, c'mon live it up, let's start, start, start the party! I know you're never gonna wanna stop!"_

"_Let the music take us,"_ crooned Lupe as a few Bedoowan children ran around us, "_to paradise, let's close our eyes."_

"_Feel the groove wanna shake us!" _sang Kat. "_Everywhere and everybody, turn it up!"_

"_Let's start the party!" _I shouted and Kat, Lupe and I started into a hip hop dance. The funny thing was that the kids mimicked us.

"Follow me," I said, and executed a hard bit of maneuvering. They copied me.

Kat, Lupe and I started singing again with the kids as our back up dancers. "_Let's start, start, start the party! C'mon, c'mon everyone, let's start, start, start the party, whatcha waitin' for now? Start the- start the- start the party! C'mon, c'mon live it up let's start, start, start the party! I know never gonna wanna- C'mon, let me hear ya holla, party's never, ever gonna stop-"_

The dining hall doors banged open and four guards pushed another guy in the room.

"I hate interruptions," Lupe grumbled, sitting up from her position on the floor.

"Your majesty," said the captain. "We've captured the Milago fugitive."

The guy was Press.

"Aw, Hell," I muttered. Yeah, I sort of recognized him, even if I'd never seen him before.

Screwy thing was that Press seemed to recognize me, too. "Alyssa? Is that you?"

All eyes shot to me.

"Uh…" I said. "Have we met?"

"It was a long time ago," said Press as thou we weren't surrounded by Bedoowan. "You were just knee-high, but you had a mouth."

"Marcus," Kat, Lupe and I growled.

"That twisted, egotistical son of a-" I started, but Kat and Lupe clapped a hand over my mouth, of which I obviously still had.

* * *

"So what do we do know?" Kat asked.

We were in our rooms, dressed in canvas nightgowns and braiding each others' hair. Sleepover!

"We go to bed," I said. "Seriously, it's all good. Press'll be fine for now and Bobby is probably sleeping like a babe in the Milago village."

"So what are we gonna do tomorrow?" Lupe asked. "Sit around the castle?"

I shook my head. "No, we find Alder."

Kat raised an eyebrow. "A tree? We need to find a tree?"

I laughed. "No, Alder's the Traveler here on Denduron. We need to find him and then we'll find Bobby, Loor and Osa."

"And this Alder is important?" Kat asked, skeptical.

"The Travelers are important, yes," I replied.

"You're really excited about being here, aren't you?" Lupe said.

I smiled widely. "I've wanted to come here for years!"

I felt like a kid on Christmas morning!

* * *

Dressed in a pastel blue gown and my hair hanging around my shoulders in glossy brown ringlets, I walked around the castle. Kat and Lupe were in separate parts of the castle. We were looking for Alder.

"Looking for a young knight?"

I jumped and gasped. "Jesus! I should've known you would've done that, Saint Dane."

He chuckled and came out of the shadows. "I do tend to frighten beautiful young girls."

"Your flattery isn't going to work on me," I sang. "I know all your moves."

"And we barely know each other," Saint Dane chuckled and stroked my cheek. "I must admit, I never thought Marcus would raise someone like you."

"I'm not sure how to take that," I muttered, ducking away from his cold hand. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must find my friends."

Ugh, that guy was even freakier in person than in the Records!

* * *

_Kat wanders thru the Bedoowan castle, utterly bored._

"_That does it," she grouses. "Alyssa can find this Alder guy on her own. I hate this World."_

_She turns on her heel and collides with a very solid object. "Oof!"_

"_Sorry! I did not mean to-"_

_Kat rubs her rear and glares up at a young knight. "Please tell me you're not Alder."_

_The knight straightens. "Yes, I am. What is your name?"_

_Kat raises an eyebrow. Alder understands and helps her to her feet. "Sorry."_

"_You look like a puppy," Kat says flatly. "An over fed puppy. Just how old are you?"_

"_Sixteen," Alder replies sheepishly._

"_Well, not all of us can live up to expectations," Kat says with a shrug. "Listen, we need your help. Any chance you want to give it?"_

_Alder bows low to her. "It would be an honor to serve such a pretty little thing as you."_

_Kat blushes and tosses her red hair over her shoulder. "Christ, I hate knights."_

* * *

"You found him," I said happily when Kat walked up to Lupe and I with a big guy in tow.

"Alyssa, Lupe, this is Alder," Kat introduced carelessly.

Alder bowed. "I am pleased to meet you."

"Likewise," I said. "Okay, long story short; we know everything about the Travelers, Saint Dane and Halla. We need to rescue Press and Bobby Pendragon and Loor are in the Milago village. Will you help us?"

"Blunt, as always," Lupe grinned as Alder blinked.

"You know of the Travelers?" he repeated. "How is that possible? Who exactly are you?"

"Alyssa, novice Jumper," I replied with a wink.

* * *

Alder, Kat and I hiked thru a forest to a river where one of the Travelers would be waiting. Alder was dressed in his black leather armor, sporting a spear and a rope.

Kat and I wore leather pants, a simple shirt and rough boots. We had swords, but they were only for decoration.

I was so excited to meet Bobby Pendragon and Loor. They were, like, the best of the best. Kind of like me.

We turned down the trail and found a young boy standing in bushes.

"I have been looking for you, Pendragon," Alder said.

Bobby whirled around and his eyes popped. He took one look at the spear and rope Alder was holding and bolted. Loor was standing at the river and she turned just in time to see Bobby lunge at her and dive into the river.

Alder blinked.

Kat raised her eyebrows.

I burst out laughing. "That is why I love this World!"

"Shouldn't we go explain to them that we're friends?" Kat suggested dryly.

"Yeah, maybe," I snickered. "Ah, I knew I came here for a reason."

We walked down the bank to where Bobby and Loor were lying drenched and panting.

I held out my hand to Bobby. "Dude, that was awesome. Totally a feat Thumper would be proud of."

Bobby took my hand ruefully and stood up. "Thanks. Sorry I bolted."

Loor got to her feet with a sniff.

"This was my fault," Alder whined.

Kat rolled her eyes. "You didn't shove them into the river. Good grief, puppy."

Alder shook himself. "I am pleased that you have come, Pendragon."

Bobby shook out his hair. "Uh…yeah, sure."

I clapped my hands together. "Let's cut to the chase, shall we? Kagan needs to be brought down, Press is in danger and there's only us to do it. Needless to say, we need a plan."

"I think we can update from danger." Lupe trudged out of the forest. "Saint Dane has convinced Kagan that Press is a bad guy. They're gonna execute him."

* * *

The ring that Press's execution would take place was like a giant coliseum. Both the Milago and Bedoowan were there.

Kagan sat in her royal box, nearly taking up the whole space. Mallos sat next to her, looking as smug as horse shit.

We snuck in wearing long cloaks. Yeah, it was a little cliché, but it worked as we sat in the front row.

"All we need is Cesar or Alexander," I chuckled. "Bring on the lions, babe."

"That's my uncle they're feeding to the lions," Bobby pointed out.

"Oh," I muttered. "Right, sorry."

And then Mallos stood up and the crowd grew silent. "Greetings, everyone! We are meeting here today, under the great and powerful protection of our Queen Kagan."

The queen in question was chowing on a turkey leg and let out a loud burp.

"Charming," Kat sneered to Alder. "How in the Hell did she become queen?"

"Today we witness what happens to traitors," Mallos continued with an evil smile.

A door opened and Press was shoved out.

"Oh dear," Lupe murmured.

"We must do something!" Loor insisted.

"Like what?" I asked incredulously. "We are two humans, a Jumper and three Travelers; all under the age seventeen…"

Bobby leapt into the arena, threw off his cloak and stood back to back with Press.

Kat blinked. "We could do that."

Two other doors opened and quig-bears walked out.

"Or not," I suggested.

Loor and Alder jumped after Bobby.

Kat cocked her head to the side. "He may be a puppy…but he is kinda cute."

We looked at each other. Then we went after our friends.

"Traitors!" Kagan squealed. "Kill them! Kill them all!"

"Is it too late to back out?" I asked, twirling my knives around.

The quigs charged.

"Yep," Press said.

* * *

Somehow, and the details are a little sketchy, we managed to get out alive.

I did, however, receive a broken arm.

"Ow!" I whined as Loor patched me up. "That hurts."

She gave me a half-sympathetic, half-condescending look and walked away. "Be sure you do not use it in a fight."

I was suddenly glad that I had recently become ambidextrous. I had originally been right handed; the broken arm in question.

We heard an explosion outside the Milago village where we took refuge. Everyone looked at each other and then scrambled to get outside.

There was a clearing near the river where we had met Loor and Bobby. Many of the Milago were there with carts of a red clay-like substance.

"Oh no," Press moaned. "Not now!"

"What is it?" Bobby asked. "Dynamite?"

"Worse."

I scoffed. "Well, it's not the A-bomb. Because these guys are still in the Dark Ages and do not have the mental capacity to use one."

A strong Milago man fitted a tiny ball of the clay into a sling. He spun it around and let it fly at an erected target that looked similar to Kagan.

It exploded. Violently.

"Ooh," Kat, Lupe and I said in awe.

"I'm starting to like this World," Kat grinned.

Press shot us dark looks. "It is called tak. It's what the Milago will use to take their freedom from the Bedoowan."

"Is that bad?" Loor asked.

Press pointed to the smoldering Kagan-target. "Well it doesn't look good."

"A glorious sight!"

We turned and found the Milago leader, Rellin, standing behind us. "I am glad to see you alive, Press."

"How does this work?" Press asked. "You can't use tak without charging it first."

Rellin reached into his pocket and pulled out…a battery.

I cocked my head. "Huh? Where did you get that?"

Kat coughed and scuffed her foot on the ground. "Um…I might have brought my flashlight on this trip."

I stared at her. "Kat!"

"Sorry," she moaned. "Sorry."

"Oh God," Lupe gasped. "You're going to make a bomb!"

Whoa! I whirled onto Press. "Dude, stop them!"

Press shook his head. "It's too late."

Fuck.

* * *

I paced back and forth around the small hovel the bunch of us were prisoner's in. "Okay," I said. "What do we know?"

"Saint Dane is trying to topple Denduron," Bobby said.

"The Milago are going to use a bomb to destroy the Bedoowan," Alder piped up.

"Saint Dane is Mallos," Kat muttered, toying with her hair.

"There are two flumes on Denduron," Press said.

We stared at him.

"Excuse me?" Bobby said. "Two flumes?"

I smiled. "I have a plan."

* * *

Bobby and I snuck out of the hovel and ran for the bluffs were the second flume was. Kat and Alder had gone to warn the Milago about the bomb while Lupe, Press and Loor went to stop Rellin blow Kagan to fatty bits.

"Are you sure he would come this way?" Bobby asked as we skidded down the bluffs.

"Like 80% sure," I said.

"What's the 20% part?"

I hesitated. "I dunno."

We climbed into the cavern that housed the flume. It was dark and soon we were feeling our way along the wall. As we moved farther inside, the rock became dusty and the air almost metallic.

"Hold up," I said, reaching for my pocket. "I think I have a match here."

Light filled the cavern…and I hated myself.

Bobby froze. "Uh, Alyssa?"

I stopped with a whimper. "That 20% just became something worse, Bobby."

We were stand on a huge vein of tak.

"Oh, my."

Bobby and I turned to see Mallos standing before us. "I wouldn't move if I were you."

I sighed. "Next time, I'll go for the bomb. Lupe can look for the flume."

Mallos chuckled, then began to transform. He grew to six feet, waist-length grey hair and a black suit. Only his ice blue eyes remained.

Saint Dane stood before us.

"Wow," I squeaked out. "That is so cool."

The demon Traveler smirked. "Stand aside."

I realized that Bobby and I were standing by the flume. I smirked back at him. "I have a better idea; you walk out and stop that bomb. If not…" I mimed dropping the match.

Saint Dane paled. "You wouldn't."

"Jumper," I reminded him. "You really wanna take that chance? I can vortex out of here- with Bobby- before the first spark ignites."

Saint Dane smiled. "Ah, ruthless to the end, eh?" He laughed chillingly. "I don't need your threats. _Cloral_!"

The flume came to life. Saint Dane lunged, knocking me to the ground. Bad move. The match fell from my hand.

"Shit!" I snapped and grabbed Bobby's hand.

The match ignited the tak.

* * *

Bobby and I were fine.

I had doubled back in my vortex and we emerged on the bluffs.

Or…wait…

I looked around in confusion. "Okay, I swear the castle was right here."

How could I lose a castle?

Bobby looked over the side and gulped. "Uh, Alyssa? The castle _was_ here."

I looked over the bluffs and saw a load of smoking ruins in the sea. "Whoa. That was a pretty lame bomb."

"Are you kidding?!" a voice shouted behind us. "That explosion was totally wicked!"

Bobby and I turned to see our friends grinning like idiots. What was more, the Bedoowan and Milago were standing behind them.

Everyone was okay.

Bobby and I exchanged cocky looks. "All in a days work."

* * *

**A/N: okay, so i have cast the characters we've met so far**

**Alyssa- Britt Robertson**

**Kat- Amber Tamblyn**

**Lupe- Marisa Ramirez**

**Marcus- Andy Garcia**

**Mike- Ed Speelers**

**Desmond- Jon Voight**


End file.
